The Strength is in the Pack
by NewGirl08
Summary: Arya Stark is growing up and coming to terms with what her family and society thinks of her and her blooming feelings for Gendry leading up to new lands. Same story, cleaner, beta'd and with new chapters. Modern Day on the GENDRYA ship
1. The EX Friend

She was supposed to be happy. Relaxed, content, at peace; words that were not usually associate with Arya Stark. That was what she wanted to feel, but was far from reality. Why you might ask? Why would a girl from a wealthy family with every opportunity out there for her not be happy? Because of a stupid boy; Gendry Waters! Her 'best friend'. But if you look back the key word is _was_; as in: it is over and now I'm the most miserable person in the planet. That's how she felt on the inside. All alone.

They were the oddest pair of friends on the planet. But for the people who truly knew them they could have not imagine two people more perfect for each other. They formed a perfect balance. Where Arya was fast Gendry took is time, when Arya was sad it was Gendry who would put up a clown suite just so she could smile and when Arya was hell-bent on taking the world right by the balls it was Gendry who always told her to stop and think on her actions. Although that only lasted minutes because Gendry always ended up doing what Arya wanted. She was the force behind their relationship, but Gendry wasn't a total softy. He knew how to pick his battles.

But that was before Gendry had been formally indoctrinated into the Stark Family. Before her brothers got ahold of him, but more on that later.

They had meet in school, he just transferred to Winterfell High because his uncle moved in order to keep up with the booming industrial business that kept pouring in the north. Mechanics where high in demand and after a rough couple of years in Kings Landing he decided to move them, much to Gendry's dismay, mostly because he didn't know anyone. Then he met Arya on his first day of school and they were inseparable ever since. So since Arya was just a tinny little thing and young; and Gendry being so tall, almost 2 feet taller than her, plus a sophomore and yes, a boy; her family demanded to meet him a week after their meeting.

So the two friends agreed Gendry would meet the rest of the Starks. Arya didn't want to, but knew her mother would not let her be friends with a boy without meeting him first. Gendry would never admit it to Arya, but he had been scared shitless to meet her family. But it went okay. The two young brothers where a piece of cake! Rickon was the easiest, he was the baby of the family and all he had to do was smile at him and play with his wolf in the yard. Bran he loved. He was an old soul who seems to be the most intelligent in the family even more so than Eddard Stark himself. Sansa was the only girl besides Arya. They didn't pay much attention to each other, Gendry thought she was a spoiled brat in love with the biggest asshole in all Westereros. Sansa thought he was too poor and stupid to mingle with and looked down her nose at him, pretending he wasn't even there. Then came the older brothers Jon and Robb. At first it was rough, all murdurous stares, a few couple of "friendly punches" and offers to feed him his own testicles if he did anything to Arya. But that quickly vanished as they became friends. This didn't happen right away, but over time. That made it worse.

"They stole him from me. He was my friend and they took him away. The Bastard didn't put up a fight" Arya sat mumbling in her bay window as she watched her brothers and her best ex friend play football. Her best ex friend that didn't give her the time of day anymore. Who preferred to hang out with her brothers and slutty girls now.

She sat watching trying to pin point when things had changed. It was when the Starks found out that Gendry wasn't a predator and that Arya simply did not have the 'love-for-boys gene' the way Sansa had at Arya's age. Her family had left them alone. The two of them, along with their friend Hot Pie where never 10 inches away from each other. They argued, laughed, and hung out together everyday, but then something changed. Gendry changed. He always was big but now he was, well hot and big. Years as an apprentice at his uncle's shop put some impressive muscles on his body; he was handsome and had the bluest eyes anyone had ever seen. Arya started to look at him different, but wasn't going to tell anyone that!

"Huh. They aren't that blue today. They're light. Maybe they change with his mood. What the hell?!" Arya fell to the floor as if the man himself had caught her ogling him.

It was already awful that he abandoned her for her brothers. Now she had a massive crush on him.

"Nope. Not crush, I just miss hanging out with him and I have my period." She mumbled to herself as she picked herself off the floor and settled back into her window seat.

A period that apparently lasted 3 months because all Arya could think about was Gendry, and not totally as a friend. Like how cute he looked when thinking something serious, or when she caught him watching Spongebob Squarepants and paid her to keep that piece of information to herself with her favorite candy. She loved how cozy she felt when they just talked about anything and everything late into the night then ended up passing out in each other's arms. Him playing with her hair and whispering stupid things in her ear to make her laugh and her laying across him, it wasn't anything sexual, it was just right! Even when they would argue he would just pick her up like a doll and press her to his body and she instantly relaxed, breathing his Gendry smell and warmth that she loved so much. But now she didn't have moments with him like that any more.

Things changed when Gendry, who was used to spend all his time at the Stark Manor with Arya, found he had a lot in common with Arya's elder brothers. As he caught up in school they ended up in the same classes. Jon and Rob were the quintessential jocks. Gendry was too. They loved sports and practiced a bunch of disciplines together. Of course it didn't hurt that all three of them looked as if they jumped off of a Calvin Klein add. They had sports, girls and parties they were invited to in common.

That was when her brothers "stole" Gendry from her. Robb; a famous ladies man, found in Gendry a perfect wingman because he attracted a lot of ladies. Jon found someone who understood what it was like to live surrounded by people and never really fit in. To see money and know it would never be yours, not that Jon had a need for money. Jon grew up never knowing who his mother was and being the acknowledged bastard of Eddard Stark had its daily toll on Jon. Gendry could relate. Him mother died when he was young and never knew his dad. The boys became school friends. Then one day after school Gendry went to the basement to hang out with her brothers and never came back. He "grew up", her brothers said. Arya thought he was acting like a complete idiot! Going on dates and getting wasted.

"Ugh! Screw him!" She said sickened by the sight of him and her brothers. She stormed out of her room and went down to the kitchen to find some food to make her happy. Maybe some lemon cakes or something just as bad for her.

It was a sunny day in the North so that meant everyone was out enjoying the weather. It was actually hot so she was wearing short denim shorts and an old baseball t-shirt. Arya had chopped her hair short. In Arya's mind short hair meant that she never had to comb it. She knew she didn't look sexy or hot, but why should she care?

She went straight to the lemonade in a pitcher her Mom had left on the table for the guys. Her mother had even left glasses. She was in the process of pouring the lemonade, not paying attention to the boys right outside the opened double doors. She heard yelling but was choosing to ignore the stupid jackasses.

"I got it - I got it - I got it... wait! What? Fuuuuuck"- Suddenly she found herself drenched in lemonade and under a very sweaty - shirtless Gendry! The stupid idiot had ran into the house and collided with her!

"Arr... you're here! I thought you were out with your Mom! Have you been here this whole time, alone in your room? What were you doing all alone in your room all this time?"- Gendry was babbling words but Arya was just dumbstruck!

_God he's gorgeous! When was the last time he got a haircut? Would it be weird if I lick his neck right now?_ She was lost in her day dream, loving his body pressed against her. He was smiling down at her, his eyes a bright, electric blue. She was losing the world and she was just fine with that!

"Waters could you please get off my sister and continue the game." She looked over his shoulder and saw Jon all dirty picking up the football Gendry obviously had missed.

"Nahhh, I don't think I can kick your ass any more than I already have Snow. I'm better on the floor with Spikehead over here." He looked back down at her. She was no longer amused.

After he used that horrible nickname that Sansa and her bitch friends gave her after she cut her own hair off was when Arya reacted.

"Spikehead? Spikehead? Get the fuck off me Gendry, now!" She said with a growl that mimicked her wolf Nymeria. He laughed and Jon joined in. He moved off her and she scrambled away. She turned around to compose herself.

"Now, now, little Wolf, watch the language." Said Rob entering the kitchen.

"YOU! YOU! And _YOU_!" Arya whirled around. She was mad, angry and sad at the same time. She couldn't form a proper sentence. Arya pushed Gendry off her and stood up, anger and hurt showing on her face. She went with anger, yelling and pointing at them each in turn. "I have a fucking name! It's Arya! Not Spikehead, not Arr. Not Little Wolf. It's Arya Fucking Stark! Start fucking using it!"

"Well Arya Fucking Stark, we got the message, now I think it's best if you go up and change. We were playing football, not judging a wet t-shirt contest." Bran said, who had made his way from the garden to see what all the noise was about. As if on cue all the boys looked at Arya; who in fact was sporting a very see-through t-shirt. She went red in embarrassment and looked at Gendry who was looking at her chest and her blue low cup bra. She couldn't even open her mouth; she only wanted a quick kill._ Maybe I could show Nymeria how to kill me in my sleep._

"Is that...uhmmm is that my t-shirt?" Gendry asked, suddenly even redder than Arya and was looking at the floor! Arya was mortified. It was his shirt! Arya strangely had always loved the way Gendry clothes fell on her and ended up stealing his old t-shirts when they couldn't fit him anymore. This was one of them.

A blast of laughter escaped Robb. Rickon just awake from his nap walked into the room, followed by Shaggydog.

"Why is Arya showing her boobies?" His sweet innocent voice asked.

Jon went even paler than Ghost coat!

"Jesus Arya cover yourself!" said Jon grabbing Catelyn's kitchen apron making Arya more embarrassed. Seeing Jon freak out like that made Gendry, Bran and Rickon join Rob, who was at the point crying from laughter and that was the last straw!

_How dare Him! How dare He cut me out of his life and now make a fool out of me! In my own house! With my own brothers!_

"You cover yourselves up! You're running around the house like wild pigs! The wolves have more grace than you! You are not kids anymore! You guys are worse than Dad and Robert remembering 'ye old times', and you; you're the worst" said Arya, looking straight at Gendry for the first time in months. "You come into my house, practically assault me in my kitchen and all you do is ask about your t-shirt? Well here it is!" And without thinking about it twice she pulled the t-shirt off and threw it at Gendry who seemed to be hit by a truck!

She stood there in nothing but her shorts and bra, looking at them all. Daring them to say something now!

"There's your fucking t-shirt you, you... you stupid bull." Arya stormed out of the kitchen leaving four very awestruck boys, a wolf and a child in her wake.

She ran to her room. She was so confused. She was angry. She was hurt. And in some weird was she felt empowered. She was always wild, but her actions today were more then that. They were reckless. She didn't leave her room for the rest of the day. She sat in her window seat looking out on the land she loved, fuming. Why did things have to be so hard? Why couldn't they stay the same, with Gendry beside her, like the old days? Life was so complicated now. When the sun finally set she moved from her perch. She walked into the bathroom she shared with Sansa and got ready for bed. Her mother knocked on her door, asking if she was okay. She used her period as an excuse and stayed in her room for dinner.

She would not leave, not while He was still there. He usually stayed for dinner. He told her once they had better food. Gendry was always thinking with his stomach. Her father used to joke that three growing boys would eat him out of house and home. She could not face him, not today. Not after he saw her almost naked. When she thought it was safe she snuck down to the kitchen and took a lemon cake and ran fast back to the safety of her room.

She ate her treat and thought about everything that had happened. He had seemed happy to see her, eager even. But her brothers had to take it all away from her, like they always did when her best ex friend was involved. Once the cake was eaten she got ready for bed.

Once safe under her covers Arya allowed herself to do what she had fought against all day. She cried herself to sleep and promised to all the Old Gods and the New that she was going to get over Gendry Waters.

**Hello Fanfic Friends!**

**Same story, just cleaning it up and organizing the plots with my awesome Beta LottieDot (Check out her stories too, they are incredible).**

**Thanks for the support!**


	2. The Pasta Situation

One day had passed since the lemonade incident and Arya still felt terrible, in absolutely no mood for human interaction, whatsoever. But she was Arya Stark, and life sucked; she had to go to school.

Arya dragged herself out of bed, after hitting the snooze on her alarm for the fifth time she knew she had to get up and got ready for the day. She got dressed in something her mother would not approve of. She found some mostly clean clothes on her floor. A white tank top with a hoodie from her fencing team with baggy jeans and worm out running shoes. Arya ran a brush in her hair once, then bundled it all up on her head. She didn't want to run into her older brothers so she hid as long as she could before going downstairs for breakfast.

It was Monday morning, which meant that her father was driving them to school. Something he liked to do. Her father said that every Monday was a fresh start and he wanted to enjoy that with his children. He was a busy man, Eddard Stark. He was the CEO of Stark Industries after all. A global archaeological firm that found and preserved anything ancient. From a fossils of leaves to burial sights from epic battles from the past. It was her father's first love and it was Arya's as well.

The Starks along, with various important families that were considered old money tried to preserve the relics of the past. So Eddard Stark was a hardworking man, despite all his money. He was loved by all and respected more so; definitely more than his business partner Robert Baratheon, who just dumped all the work in Eddard's lap and went bar hopping. Baratheon Corps was in the machinery business, so they went hand in hand with the Stark's gravesite digs and had done so for dozens of either sides of the families' generations.

Today was not like other Mondays. Something was off with her dad. Arya was always the first to pick up on their fathers' moods. That's why she was able to get away with things so much easier than her siblings could. Plus it helped she loved what her family did for a living, not just the money it provided.

Today it was different. Eddard would normally ask his children about their schedules and expectations for the week, but today there were no questions. He didn't even join them for breakfast, opting to wait for them in his car. Arya being a complete Daddy's Girl was the first one to notice his absence. She drank her orange juice, grabbed an apple and went straight to the garage to find her father.

"Hey Dad." She said plopping into the front passenger seat that Sansa was sure to argue for. "Not in the mood for Mom's cooking today?" She asked, all bright and chipper, faking it for her dads benefit.

He seemed tense, lost in thought but quickly recovered and flashed his smile for his (not so secret) favorite child.

"Good Morning my Little Wolf!" Arya hated when someone called her nicknames, like she had told the boys the day before, but her father was the only exception. She loved his nickname. She was the only kid in the family to get one.

"You didn't eat breakfast with us! Do you have an early meeting? If you do you should have told Sansa that, she's probably still in front of the mirror. Trying to perfect her face. What little use she can make of her face. She looks the same no matter what." Arya tried to lighten his dark mood with a joke.

He chuckled; unlike his wife he had given up on making his daughters get along. They were too different. But like most fathers in his eyes they were perfect and as long as they respected each other, he wasn't going to force them to get along.

"Yes, I do. We are going to start on a site near the Wall and I have to supervise all that is needed. It's a rough terrain and I don't want the men to suffer." He looked lost in thought. Arya knew how serious he took the lives and well-being of the crews that worked for him. Almost to the extreme. But the mention of The Wall had her excited.

"THE WALL?" Arya nearly choked on her apple.

_Perfect_. Eddard thought, that will distract her. He knew it was Arya; his little wolf, who could read him like a book. But what was troubling him was very grave and not meant for a child's ears, even if she was 16 years old and practically lived in the office since she could walk.

"That is sooooo cool! You have to let me help you with the planning." Arya said in a rush.

"Of course dear. This weekend, after you do your homework, if you don't have anything to do with Gendry, I'll take you to the office with me. You can correct anything you think seem wrong. Like always." He gave a small laugh.

She made a face at the sound of Gendry's name. Eddard wasn't one of those fathers that didn't pay attention to their children, he knew that something was up between Arya and her friend but he wouldn't push her. Arya always ended up telling him everything. He loved that she felt safe with him to tell him all her problems. She sat there chewing her lip, deciding to confess or not. She was saved by the arrival of the three other Stark children who still had to take the Monday drive to school with their father.

The drive to school was relatively normal. Her father was asking questions about their upcoming week, but he wasn't as excited like he usually was. He was thinking about his meeting. Sansa was texting someone, letting them know what brand she wore today. Bran was buried in a psychology book far too advanced for him and Rickon was complaining as he did every day about why he couldn't bring Shaggydog to school. Arya just sighed and pressed her forehead to the window, she hated school, it was horrible! Sansa acted like she didn't know her, Bran lived in the library and Rickon was in kindergarten! That only left Jon, Robb and Gendry who were in their last year and where hopping from party to party, hooking up with every female in sight. Ugh. The sluts! She was all alone! It hadn't been like this last year. She had Gendry with her then.

After Gendry abandoned her for her brothers she fell into her normal void of being bullied by the 'popular kids', not that bullying Arya Stark was easy! She had a reputation of being a hard ass that she loved, but still felt insecure about herself, especially when her best friend abandoned her for girls who were pretty, knew how to dance and sing and wore pretty clothes. Gendry just followed his cock. He was an idiot. They pulled up to the school. Arya sat there waiting for their dad to give them his weekly talk.

"Ok kids, off you go! Learn something useful today. Do good and stay out of trouble." Eddard said to his kids. Arya lingered behind, just starring at Gendry's truck at his usual spot.

"You know he really is an idiot that one." Arya heard her father say. She wasn't really paying attention to her dad, so she was startled and tried to pretend everything was alright.

"What? Yeah! I'm getting out of the car Dad, I love you too." She practically ran from the car.

Eddard laughed all the way to his office thinking about his little Wolf and her friend the Bull. Things were starting to get interesting on the home front. For once the lives of his children might eclipse the problems at work. But he had to push those thoughts aside. He had big things starting and needed to get focused. It was going to be a long day.

**...**

The day was long and full of terrors. Arya hurried into school. Because she was small she was able to slip into the crowded halls without being seen. She made it to her first class and hunkered down in her seat. She hated classes. They were always so frustrating. She hated being in class with stupid people who didn't get the right answers to the questions the teachers asked. Arya knew all the answers, but learned that if she spoke up to often she would get bullied. So she sat in the back of the class and tried to only speak up if the others were being truly idiotic. Classes where boring and because she skipped breakfast she was hungry was hell and cranky; eager for lunch time to come sooner rather than later.

The bell rung for lunch and she felt happy! With Gendry gone; food was the only thing that made her happy. Thank God for her fast metabolism or she would be bigger than Hot Pie who was waiting for her at the cafeteria entryway.

"Well you look like crap," he said to her when she found him.

"Well thanks Handsome. I skipped breakfast this morning and I need something or I'm going to die! What's the menu today?" His nickname was perfect, the kid had a natural talent for food, he could cook like the Gods and with a quick intake of air he could guess what food they would be eating.

"You're good to go... Pasta" Hot Pie nodded before they entered the room.

"I am so glad we are friends. I love your superpowers when it comes to food." She laughed and linked her arm in his.

As they waited in line Arya scanned the lunch court. Everyone was in conversation with their clicks! The funnies, the uglies, the stoners, the nerds, the jocks and wannabes; all happy with their equals. All stupidly oblivious to how they were not as individual as they thought. At the far end she saw Gendry.

"Shit." she muttered. He looked up at her and tried to catch her eye. She ignored him, starting to feel sad and angry.

As always he was accompanied by her brothers in the last table; to one that she had to pass to get to her favorite spot. The spot she used to sit with Gendry to eat. Should she say something to him? They hadn't spoken with each other since Saturday where she told him to fuck off. Oh yeah, and she threw a shirt in his face and he saw her in next to nothing but her bra. God will this day never end? She filled her plate with pasta not pleased with the small portion, but it would have to do for now when she started walking to her spot.

She was so focused on Gendry's every move, pretending not to be, that she didn't see the foot that appeared in front of her.

There was a loud crash, flying pasta, the floor. That's all Arya Stark knew in that moment.

**This is just fucking fantastic!** She thought from the flat of her back. Her lunch covering her.

Ramsey Bolton was laughing his ugly head off, as was the whole school, while she was on the floor covered in pasta.

"What happened Arya? Have a little accident?" Bolton sneered down at her.

Ramsey Bolton hated Arya, not that she cared, she hated him right back. But he just wouldn't leave her alone! It's like he was obsessed with making her unhappy. Before he could make another snappy comeback she was surprised by who yanked him by his jacket.

"You know, picking on a little girl is weak. But then again its you. You don't have the balls to roll with the big boys." Theon Greyjoy stood tall and proud. He was like a brother to Arya, one who never abandoned her, he was just too cool to care for anyone. So it never bothered her when he ignored her. He did it to everyone. He knew she knew that she could defend herself, he was just aching to kick Ramsey's ass.

"I can take care of myself Theon," she said, getting up and earning some new laughs for her ruined white tank top. She was glad she had shoved her hoodie into her locker before lunch. Arya knew she had the advantage, Ramsey's henchmen would not come near them especially as Robb and Jon where walking over them with clench fists, she didn't even notice that Gendry was by her side with Hot Pie. So instead of a witty comeback or a girly slap she picked up the food tray on swung hard at his stomach and felt happy has all the air went out of his system.

"Nice swing Arya," said Theon in approval. "I think it was the same one that Robb used last year to win the championship, what do you say Snow?"

"I don't know Theon, it was pretty hard. I think she's been practicing with Gendry." Jon replied while Gendry only nodded. He was red with fury looking down at Ramsey but stood still as he knew Arya could get angry if someone fought her battles.

As the buzz from the initial confrontation went down Ramsey decided to chill on the floor for a while. It was then when round 2 began. But from an unexpected foe.

"You ugly little rat, look what you did to me! This is my new dress, my new Prada dress and you threw pasta all over it." Apparently when Arya fell the pasta had landed on Ros, a member of Sansa Bitch click, the school's whore and sometimes Theon's girlfriend shouted. Theon immediately tried to calm to situation.

"Calm down Hot Cheeks! It was Bolton's fault, Arya had nothing to do with this."

"Of course it is," piped in Jeyne Poole; another member of the bimbo squad.

"I saw her looking at Ros, obviously jealous at her new dress. I saw her trip and she aimed for Ros." Jeyne had an evil glint in her eyes while she looked down at Arya.

"Come on Jeyne; Arya doesn't give a rat's ass about dresses." Gendry said to the other girl. Since when did Gendry know Jeyne Poole, let alone talk to her?

"Don't start Gen, you always end up defending the little Horserace, that freak Spikehead." Said Jeyne.

_Horseface? Spikehead? And wait did she just call Gendry; Gen? What the fuck is going on!_ But before she could ask more shots where being fired at her.

"Well he looks like a farm boy, I'm sure he likes horses very much." Just then Joffrey walked over; Westeros favorite asshole and Sansa's boyfriend, who by the way stood surprisingly quiet during the whole exchange.

"Sure she might look like a horse, hell; her plate could have had hay in it for all it mattered, but it wasn't her fault Joffrey. Another word from you and I will personally show you what a farmer can do to a pretty-ass prince," and that was all that Gendry said because Winterfell's High school Principal Syrio Forel had just walked into the food court.

"Well it seems all my students are getting along today." He said, looking at every one of them in the eye before landing on Arya's wild and grey ones.

"Miss Arya, what mess. Look at your clothes." Syrio Forel said to her, completely ignoring Ros and her whimpering. "Could you please elaborate on how this came to be?"

Arya wasn't a snitch! As much as he hated Ramsey she thought he had had enough with the food tray to his stomach and wounded pride. She could say something about the rude things the mean girls had said to her but she didn't care, not about them. It was Gendry who broke her heart. 'She may look like a horse - she looks like a horse - Arya Stark is the ugliest girl in all of Westeros and I can't even look at her'. That's what he basically said about her. No wonder he didn't hang out with her anymore, she was a freak and he obviously liked pretty and delicate girls like Jeyne Poole. Arya was even more ashamed of how her voice left her mouth.

"I fell... I fell and that was all." She wanted to be done with it, just go to the bathroom, cry her ass off and finish her school day.

"Uhmmmmm, it's curious how Winterfell's High best gymnast could have stumbled so easily. Come now children, lunch is over. Go back to your classes, and someone clean up the boy on the floor." Forel ordered, eyeing Arya very alertly. She knew he knew what really happened. She did not want to stay any longer.

She left the food court faster than anyone, totally ignoring her brothers and most of all Gendry; whose voice you could hear in all the school calling out for her but she didn't care. How could she be so stupid in ever thinking of Gendry as something more than her friend? Hell he wasn't even that anymore.

Running through the hallways in search of the bathroom she found two young girls giggling of excitement posting large signs that read "Winter's Sadie Hawkins dance."

"Who are you going to ask? I was thinking of that Theon Greyjoy. He is so good looking. Or Jon Snow. He is so dark and broody. I just love that." One of the girls was saying.

"I don't know. They might be snatched up quick. Bran Stark is cute, even though he's a freshman." The other said. They walked down the hall away from Arya.

Great... just peachy! Another stupid dance her mom would want her to go to. Her day was just getting worse and worse.


	3. The New Gendry

There was no way in hell Arya was going to any of her classes after what just happened. She didn't care what anyone said, sometimes the smartest thing a person could do was hide when hurt. So she skipped Miss Mordane's etiquette class. She was sure the famous Septa would not have approved pasta all over her clothes and risk the possibility of having it drop on her work desk. Arya couldn't think of anywhere else to hide so she went into the first floor girl's bathroom, took a stall and spent two hours just sitting on a toilet in the girl's bathroom hiding from the assholes of her school.

The thing she wished she had with her was her backpack. She ran so fast that she forgot it in her haste to get the hell out of that room with all the judgmental sheep and the people; no _person_, who she thought was on her side and it turned out they, _he,_ wasn't. She hoped Hot Pie had grabbed her bag and put it somewhere safe. The one thing she wished she had, besides food, was her phone. It was in her pack. Arya was stuck ease dropping on random girls who came into the bathroom to talk about what happened at lunch.

There was a wide assortment of theories and ideas about everything. Some of them made her laugh, come made her cringe.

One girl was totally amazed at how someone Arya's size, little, could be such a badass.

_"OMG; did you see her rough up the Bolton kid? He sure had that one coming. I was sitting there watching as the jerk tripped her. I'm glad she shoved that tray into him. Did you see the way it knocked the wind out of him? Do you think she's on steroids?"_

Arya was laughing so hard she has to bite her lips together to keep the girls from finding her. Steroids indeed. Her strength and her physical conditioning were based on years of hard work and discipline. She had been in gymnastics since she could walk. Arya was also a rising star on the international fencing radar. You did not do either activities without learning about your body and where to see weakness in others.

Some girls were scared. They were the stupid sheep that she hated.

_"They say she's running around with a knife stabbing everybody who laughed. I mean all the teachers are looking for her. Why else would they want her unless she was stabbing people? Oh god! I think I laughed, and I remember, she looked right at me! There is a mad woman out there with a knife and I'm on her hit list! Let's hope they catch her. I wonder where the wounded are being kept and why the news vans aren't here reporting it."_ Thankfully the idiot girl left the room before Arya shot out and did cut her.

She did have a small Swiss Army knife that Jon gave to her when she joined the girl scouts, but that was beside the point. Those dumb girls had been talking as if she was an escaped convict. Like she was dangerous. They didn't really know her. She never hurt a person unless they asked for it. If you hurt someone weaker, if you took advantage, if it was to protect one's self, she would fight. But to go around cutting people who laughed? That sounded like something Theon would say. That boys jokes sure knew how to come it life!

Some were judgmental.

_"She's a Stark, a girl and a sophomore; she's small for her age and unremarkable. She should just shut up and take it like the rest of us."_

Arya had been stunned at that one. This one hit her closest. It was just how she felt. Unremarkable.

And others were taking sides.

_"She's always messing with people, such a typical spoiled brat. I mean she threw that pasta all over poor Ros."_ One girl had said an hour into her hiding.

_"Are you kidding me? Those popular asses are always going after her! And that Dick Bolton tripped her. I mean she's good but not that good to control flying pasta!"_ A second girl said coming to her defense.

_"Yeah, but if she wasn't so stuck up Ramsay wouldn't have felt the need to do anything to her. I mean come on. You know how she acts. She is such a know it all in class, always knows the answer to every question. She gets top grades and is into weird sports. Plus she hangs out with people much more above her."_ The first girl shot back.

_"You are just jealous she is related to those Stark boys and she was friends with Gendry Waters when he was a nobody. You know that's why those bitches go after her. They know he will always have a place for her in his heart and no one can ever enter. That's why Ross caused such a fuss."_ The second girl said.

_"But he didn't stand up for her today, did he?..."_ They thankfully left the room.

She had sat there after hearing those words and let the angry tears well up in her eyes.

"I will not cry. I will not cry," she murdered to herself. She had already cried to many tears over her ex friend. She now knew where she stood in his eyes. Just some stupid little girl. Well she didn't need him. As she thought this two tears escaped her eye and she angrily whipped them away with the back of her hand. She was going to forget about him. She was going to move on with her life. And the first step of doing that was to leave her stall.

Arya slid off the toilet she had been scrunched on. Her sore muscles protested. She had been forced to keep her legs bundled up underneath her so none of the girls who entered saw her feet. She was stiff. So many times she had wanted to move, but the fear of detection had been too great. Now she didn't care. She knew what everyone thought of her. She was a freak.

Arya opened the stall door and walked over to a mirror. She looked at her sorry reflection. She had sauce splattered all over her face and it spotted her white tank top. She took some paper towels and got them wet so she could clean her face. Arya was pleased that she was not one of those girls who wore make-up. She washed her face with the liquid hand soap and scrubbed the stuck on sauce off her face. She took her hair out of the elastic band that held it back and combed it with her fingers. A few strands of pasta cell into the sink. It disgusted her.

Then she tried to clean off her top. Arya knew better then to get the towels wet. She didn't want to walk around with her shirt see through. So she wiped it with a dry towel. It did little to clean things. She did have her hoodie in her locker but two things kept her from going to get it. One was because she didn't want to get it dirty, the second was her locker was upstairs. She did not want to go that far into school to get it. She gave a frustrating sigh and threw away the paper towels.

It was near time for the bell to sound signaling the day to end. Arya decided to leave the safety of the bathroom. She made her way over to the door and stood there trying to think of what to tell her mother when she came to collect them from school. No plan came to her mind. She was just going to have to either tell the truth or act like nothing was wrong with her.

Opening the bathroom door she figured she would be the only one in the halls. She would wait for Hot Pie next to his locker so he could return all her stuff back. Arya popped the rest of her body out of the bathroom. She was clear of the door when she heard a voice calling her...

"Hey! Wait!" Arya turned around so fast that she hit to poor guy and fell to the floor with him.

"What is it with me and the floor today? Do I have a magnet on my butt pulling me down!?" She grumbled. She moved the elbow off of a blond boy who was under her. "Jesus what the hell is your problem scaring people around like that!" She demanded as she tried to slide gracefully off him.

"I'm sorry, I just saw you go in a while ago and I wanted to make sure you where ok," he said looking up at her. His eyes were a magnificent color and his shy smile was contagious, almost.

"What the hell." Arya grumbled as she got up from her crouching position and studied the boy better. He was about five inches taller than her. He was tanned, but not the sickly tan of many of the people here, it was golden, showing that he was once pale like her underneath it. He was good looking if you took all of him in at once.

"I didn't mean to knock you down." He lifted himself up.

"Who are you anyway? I've never seen you before!" Arya said. She clearly wanted to get out of there, but she wanted to know this stranger too. The clock on the wall said there was twenty minutes till school let out. She could risk talking to this guy.

"My name is Edric Dane. I'm new here. Sorry to interrupt you but it's just that I saw you go inside the bathroom crying a couple hours ago and wanted to make sure you were okay." He looked sheepish and there was a slight blush to his cheeks.

"I wasn't crying!" She glared at this stranger "I just had to go pee really bad." Arya exclaimed clearly lying out of embarrassment.

"You were in there for a long time. You really must have had to pee." He gave her a lopsided smile that was totally cute. But she was so not thinking that!

"Look, I'm the one who's sorry; but seriously Edric, if you want any kind of friends at this school stalking them outside of the bathroom isn't gonna get you any. Only restraining orders." She gave him an unamused look. But she couldn't help but smile at him. The boy's crooked grin was contagious.

"Ned"- he said, blushing all colors of the rainbow. "My family calls me Ned, Edric feels just too formal for everyday use." He held out his hand to shake hers.

"Oh, um can I call you Ed?" asked Arya, clearly not wanting to call him by her father's name. "I'm Arya and uhmm, thank for checking up on me." She said walking to the exit door. Edric following her. She didn't want to be around people, but at least he wasn't bringing up the incident at lunch or her messy clothes. He was being a gentleman.

"So you skipped class?" Arya asked as she walked to the stairs leading to the front doors of the school. She couldn't stand being with someone and not talking.

"Not really, someone messed with my schedule and apparently I have only one class per day until they fix things. And it appears I am not allowed to leave after said class so I am pretty much stuck here until the last bell rings. And you can call me Ed." He sat down on the step next to her.

"So do you always stalk people in the halls in your free time, or was there just something special about me that made you wait for me?" She asked making Edric blush again and creating an awkward silence.

After a few more minutes it was him broke the silence by saying, "I saw what happened in the cafeteria. I guess assholes and airheads are admitted in every school. Anyway I didn't like how they all treated you, and even though I don't really know you I had to make sure you were okay." He said to Arya making her look strait at his purple eyes.

How could a stranger care so much about her, to wait for her, when her friends and family couldn't even do that. What was it that this boy saw in her that would make him that much compassionate?

They didn't talk much after that because the bell rang and students began to pour out into the main hall, all of them looking at Arya´s ruined clothes, her messed up hair and her scowl. She heard giggles and saw people outright laughing. Arya was going to stand up and storm away. That was when Edric took her hand, stood up and pulled her to the side.

"Here." He said wrapping his jacket around her tinny frame. "This will stop them from looking at you." He said with a kind smile. He definitely looked better in the sunlight. They were on the top of the stairs leading into school. Everyone could see them, but Arya didn't care for some reason.

"Thank you Ed." She pulled it tight around her. His jacket smelled different and exotic. He looked as if he was going to say something, but he never got the opportunity.

"Arya! There you are!" Hot Pie called walking over to them out of breath, talking five hundred words per second as he told her how Ramsey ended up a Principal Forel's office, how Ros cried all day and how her brothers where worried because she wasn´t picking up her phone. "And then there are the rumors!"

"HP Breathe! Just breathe, I´m ok! I was just here talking to my new friend Edric about stuff. And how the hell am I going to answer my phone if it's in my backpack. Where is it anyway?" She demanded, looking behind him for her pack.

"Jon took it. He said he would give it to you. Look! There they are by Gendry´s car." Hot Pie pointed at the truck. Arya couldn´t see them because all the people between her and them, but they could certainly see her.

Robb, Jon, Theon and Gendry watched their little sister and friend stand at the front of the school in her ruined top in the company of a stranger. She seemed at ease with him, even holding his hand. He offered her his jacket to cover up with and then he snaked his hand back into her's while Hot Pie waddled over to them. Gendry watched her lift her head and scanned the parking lot. Her head was in the direction of his truck. He wanted her to come over. He had to explain, but that all dissipated in a flash after seeing her holding that new guy's hand.

Not letting go of his hand, Arya went over to the parking lot with Edric and Hot Pie in tow and stopped directly in front of Jon where he was relaxed on the hood of Gendry's truck. The other boys stood around, pretending to be cool but she could tell they were all ready to pounce on poor Ed. She glanced at Gendry and his face was red with anger and she wanted to smile. Now he knew how she felt every time she saw him with one of the school sluts. She flicked her eyes back to Jon and smiled.

"Thanks for getting my backpack. Someone was looking after my stuff, just wish it would have been more... At least some part of me didn´t get covered in pasta." Said Arya, trying to sort out her brother´s mood as well as make them feel guilty. She watched three out of the four boys cringe. She smiled brightly, pleased that she had hit her mark. They all stood looking at the ground, silent.

When it felt the moment was going to stretch on forever Theon who broke the ice.

"Don´t worry Stark. Nobody even remembers anything from lunch. Especially now that you're covered in a very expensive Burberry jacket." Robb smacked him in the head. "What? Oh I´m sorry!" Robb shook his head and nodded to their joined hands. "I didn´t see you there holding my little friends hand, and you are?"

Arya thought Edric would freak out and run for the hills but he stood his ground only letting go of her hand to shake theirs.

"I´m Edric, Arya´s friend. I hung around to make she was okay in person before I felt I was able to move on with my day. She's much better now that we were able to talk," He said taking back Arya's hand and pulling her to his side. She loved watching the guy's faces while Ed got in his comment. They had all looked so guilty. She wanted to cheer over it.

"Friend?" Gendry asked menacingly striding around to the front of the truck. "That's funny, because I´m her best friend and I´ve never seen you before." said Gendry standing a little taller than usual.

This pissed Arya off. His nerve! He ignored her for weeks and now he thinks he can use that title! Well she had something to say about that.

"First of all," she said rounding on Gendry while keeping the others in view, "Edric is new here and I was showing him around school all day; and second how the hell would you know who I hang out with if you abandoned me for those groupies who swallow all the shit you say?" Arya spat at Gendry, who was clearly on his way to give her a piece of his mind when they saw Catelyn´s SUV come up.

She wanted to say more, but she ignored Gendry angry eyes and turned to Edric "That's my mom, mind if I keep your jacket so she won't find out right away?"

"Sure. You can return it tomorrow when you finish showing me the school." She was so glad he was going along with her lie. He was quick on his feet. "Meet you at the steps and we can walk to class together."

She noticed how at ease Edric was with her brothers and the rude company around them. He had guts asking to spend more time with her even after seeing how her brothers and Gendry were acting. She thought good ol' Ed would be a perfect replacement for certain person still in her company.

"Sure, I would love that." She beamed at him and touched higher up on his arm. Again Edric blushed. _Jeez, can't he just control himself?_ She thought, as she ran to her mother's car waving at everyone behind her.

Arya slid into the car waiting for Catelyn's massive tirade for her state of clothing. She sat in her seat silently waiting for her other siblings to join them. Since Jon and Robb rode together in their own car they only had three others to make it. Arya was so shocked that her mom still had not said a word to her, about anything so far! She only offered a kiss on the cheek while scanning the radio stations. What was going on with Catelyn Stark?

Since it was quiet while Bran and Rickon got in the car she assumed that Catelyn didn't know about her explosive lunch and she wanted to keep it that way, so she sent a text to her brothers to tell them to keep their mouth shut.

When Cat started to move the car to the exit Rickon asked for Sansa.

"Oh, she's okay sweetie! Your sister called me and told me she was going over to Ros's house, she said something about eating pasta? I don't know why she would eat out. I told her not to eat much so she can return home in time for the start of the Monday family dinner." Catelyn said as she turned out of the school parking lot and started home.

Ignoring her little brother's snickering and the odd stares her mother was giving her through the review mirror, Arya just looked over her window and relaxed to the fact that school was over and tomorrow it would suck a little less. Tomorrow she would have a new friend all to herself. She would have someone to talk to and laugh with. It didn't matter what had happened today, because tomorrow would be so much better.


	4. Between a Rock and a Hard Place

The ride had been way to easy for her sensibilities. Her mother was cheery and asked stupid questions to Rickon about his day. Arya sat, squirming in her seat, worrying about what her mother was going to say to her about the events for the day. She huddled into the borrowed jacket.

Ed was way too good to be true. Why would a stranger help a girl out when he didn't know her? He had gone above and beyond to help her out. Maybe that was friendship in the making? Hadn't Gendry acted that way the first time they met? He had chased away Ramsay Bolton away from her at the bus stop when they first met, could Ed be doing the same thing?

Arya was lost in her musing when they pulled up to their house. Her Mother smiled and told them all to pile out and get going on their homework. Arya hurried into the house.

Her father was already home when they arrived from school. That was odd. But he had shut himself into his office. Arya had wanted to talk to him first thing about the days events, but she knew better then to interrupt him when he came home early.

Not wanting to see what was up with her mothers weird behavior on the ride home Arya ran to her room without looking back eager for a hot shower to wash away the trials of the day. She striped out of her soiled clothing, leaving them on the floor in disgust. She set the jets on full blast and it was heaven! She used up all of Winterfell's hot water as she thought about her day and what she was going to do to make her life a little bit easier at school but immediately thought went to Gendry and his betrayal. She stood there in the jets of the shower until the water ran cold.

She got out of the shower and found herself looking at the mirror. She took a good look at herself and found what everyone else must think of her. She was too small, too skinny, whiter than freaking Snow White and with the charm of a rock. She understood why Gendry thought of her as nothing but a pest. She felt the evil tears forming once again and tried to banish them, yet again.

"No, I must not think about that stupid bull idiot," she said to her reflection.

She tried to convince herself so she didn't feel awful about being ugly. Girls who complain about being ugly are just stupid airheads who can't form a proper sentence, so they depend on looks. She was alright, her father always said Arya was the spitting image of her late Aunt Lyanna; the once most beautiful woman in all of The North.

Sensing she was getting in her bad mood mind place she got out of the bathroom and found her mother Catelyn sitting in her bed holding Edric's jacket. Arya was happy she had brought her robe into the bathroom. She did not want to go into a room naked with her mother sitting there. Her mother just looked at her. Neither of them spoke. She would not break first... Her mother broke the ice.

"So do you want to talk about what happened today at school?" her mother asked in a soft voice.

"How did you know about that?" She asked, slowly entering her room.

"I am the head of the teacher-parent committee Arya, I know everything that happens at that school." Her mothers reply assured her. Arya went and leaned against her desk chair.

Well, she was screwed! She couldn't lie, as obviously her mother knew everything. Vice Principal Forel must have called home to see if she was doing okay after today's mess.

"That Bolton prick was being an ass," Arya started to explain.

"Arya!" Her mother reprimanded, not supporting the bad words under her roof and most of all out of her daughter's mouth.

"Okay. Let me restate. Ramsey Bolton was picking on me and I defended myself, I swear I didn't start it. I even tried to be civil, but he just wouldn't stop and then the boys came in, things escalated. Then Sansa friend's dress got ruined. I... I... I didn't do anything Mom, really. Not on purpose. I was just trying to take a seat at a table so I could eat my lunch." Suddenly Arya felt tired and again found herself remembering Gendry's words. She didn't want to fight her mother; she told the truth and was waiting for her punishment so she could go eat dinner then fall asleep while crying yet again because of Gendry, something that became a habit the last couple of months.

Still holding on to Edric's jacket, Catelyn looked straight into her daughter's eyes and softly said: "I know all about it. I just wanted to hear it from you. Are you okay my dear?"

What was going on? That quickly sympathy and understanding from her mother pulled Arya out of her Gendry induced zombie state.

I punched a student older than me on school grounds and supposedly destroyed a fancy dress which I probably am going to have to pay for and she says nothing? Arya thought looking into her mothers eyes.

Was her mother sick? Did she finally get tired of arguing with her? Fuck, was she an alien? Did she get captured by body snatchers while they were at school?

"Mom, I´m okay, really. I just ruined my clothes, that´s pretty much it. I can take care of myself." Arya huffed crossing her arms over her robe covered chest.

Still looking strait to her oddly Catelyn said, "I know that Arya, you've been very independent even since you were a baby. Vice Principal Forel called me and told me about todays events. So for once I believe you and though I do not support violence of any sort I am content that you acted with decorum, sort of. I am just glad you weren't hurt."

"Oookkkaaay. Thanks Mom. How about you let me change and I'll go down stairs and help you with dinner?" said Arya wanting to get away from her mother as fast as possible, but she didn't want her mom to loose this weird behavior. Maybe it was best to keep an eye on her to see if the Others brought back the real Catelyn Stark. But on the other hand if there was indeed a change her mother, like her brain not working right, she needed to get away before she was grounded.

"That's fine, you don't have to help. You had an emotional day, I would think." She looked at her daughter, her eyes obviously red from crying. She noticed how her usual strong daughter was hunched on herself. Her pity and caring motherly instincts wanted her to be kind to this child of hers. "Do you want me to wash your soiled clothes?"

"Um, no. I can do it after dinner." Arya said, walking to the pile on the floor.

"No me. I know you think you know how to use the washer, but if you ever want to wear these again I will have to use my mom magic on them. You stay and do your homework, if you have any." Catelyn stood and gathered her clothes. She walked to the door but stood there watching Arya.

I told the truth, said I was sorry, what did I forget? She thought. She racked her brain over everything that had happened today. She honestly left nothing out! When her mother asked her seemingly innocent question Arya realized what she forgot.

"Whose jacket is this?"

"Oh, that's Edric's jacket!" Arya blushed for forgetting about him! "He's new at school. We just met today. He's nice, a gentleman, he lent me his jacket so I wouldn't have to walk around with pasta all over me." Arya said, she wanted to go get changed and with her mother still in the room she might have to do that in the bathroom.

It was becoming pretty clear that Catelyn wasn't going to leave until she knew the boys entire fricken life history. She was asking her about a boy. A strange, new boy and it put her mother on red alert. She probably thought they were having unprotected sex and she was pregnant with his child.

"Oh? Was he that the boy you were with when I picked you up today? The blond one?" Catelyn asked but Arya had a feeling her mother knew more then she was saying.

"Yes," said Arya in a bored tone, waiting for the usual talk about how proper little girls did not hang around with boys unless they had good breeding. And then you better marry him, for a good name and money. Arya had almost forgot how shallow her mother could be.

"And what is his last name? Where does his family come from?" asked Catelyn, looking at Edric's very pricey designer jacket. Not that Arya would ever know that. Although her closet was filled with famous brands she didn't have great fashion sense and as Sansa once put it 'she makes a diamond look cheap'. It was all useless and hopeless but it was all her.

"Dayne! His last name is Dane. I don't know much about him, I'll ask him tomorrow if he's loaded and is in line for the throne Mother." Arya said, clearly mocking her mother's superficial ways.

"Arya do not use that tone with me! I just want to know who you are socializing with! Now did you say you were going to see him tomorrow?" Her mothers bright hopeful tone made her want to throw up. Arya was sure her mom knew more then she was saying about her new buddy Eddy.

Biting back the enormous sarcastic remark that was forming on her tongue she responded.

"Yes mother, we sort of go to the same school, remember? He's in my same grade, we have some classes together. Plus I promised to show him around school. Besides I have to give him his jacket back." Arya rolled her eyes to the ceiling.

"Okay dear, I was just curious, that's all." Catelyn said, leaving the room with the bundle of dirty clothing under her arms and the most disturbing smile that Arya had ever seen on her face.

Well, that was weird. Arya thought as she went to get dressed. She took out a pair of tight fitting yoga pants, a sports bra and an oversized grey tee shirt. They were not what her mother would approve of for dinner but after the day she had she didn't give a flying fuck. She just wanted to be comfortable now. Once dressed she reached for her IPod. Music was a balm that took the worlds worries away. Arya ran through in her playlists until she found the one she wanted. It was called SAD. She put it on shuffle so she would be surprised at which song came on first.

The opening lines of Sheryl Crow's song Strong Enough came out of the speakers to fill her room with lyrics.

God, I feel like hell tonight  
>Tears of rage I cannot fight<br>I'd be the last to help you understand  
>Are you strong enough to be my man, my man?<p>

Nothing's true and nothing's right  
>So let me be alone tonight<br>Cause you can't change the way I am  
>Are you strong enough to be my man?<p>

Lie to me  
>I promise I'll believe<br>Lie to me  
>But please don't leave, don't leave<p>

I have a face I cannot show  
>I make the rules up as I go<br>Just try and love me if you can  
>Are you strong enough to be my man, my man?<p>

That was the million dollar question. Was Gendry worth the tears and the pain? Was he worthy enough to be hers? She didn't care about his birth status, she was far from an elitist. Did she really have feelings for him or was her pride the thing that was hurt? These questions were to heavy for her, so she started on her homework. It was still far from dinner time and she did have to catching up to do as she skipped Miss Mordane's class.

Time went by fast as she mapped out a court seating for a royal wedding. It was tedious work and she hated it. By eight o'clock she heard someone calling her name downstairs. She was hungry has a bull.

"No, not that kind of an animal." Arya said out loud. But she was hungry! She realized that she didn't eat her lunch because of Ramsey and his asshole ways, so she was looking forward to whatever her mother cooked for dinner.

She made her way down the stairs to the family dining room. It was a lot less opulence than the state one the house hosted. She was so glad they didn't use that room unless it was a special occasion. As she entered the dining room it was almost empty; Bran and Rickon were the only ones at the table.

"So, how bad was it? I told her before she went up to your room that it wasn't your fault at lunch today, but she didn't even hear me." Bran asked about her talk with their mother and expected to find a very grounded Arya.

"I passed with flying colors, she didn't ground me! She just asked me if I was okay. I told the truth and she believed me. She's even washing my clothes." Arya gave a small smile to her brothers.

"Well that's weird." Even Rickon found their mother's reaction hard to believe, she was the 'bad cop' of the family and her favorite convict was Arya.

"I know right? I think we should keep an eye on her just in case she's gone mental." Arya was saying to her brothers when the door to the kitchen burst opened.

"Who's gone mental?" asked Catelyn as if on cue with a platter for dinner in her hands.

"No one, just talking with Rickon about a movie I want to go and see on the weekend." Arya said, covering up that they had been talking about her!

"Well don't be filling his head. We don't want him to have nightmares. Now your father is working and the boys aren't going to be eating with us. Sansa called, she is on her way. So let's plate up and enjoy eating." Catelyn smiled at her three children.

They dished up. Dinner was a nice beef roast with potatoes and her mother's fantastic green beans. Arya sat there with her mouth watering as she waited for her mother to say her grace over the food. It was the longest grace in her entire life. She wanted to eat and badly. Once the words were said over the food Arya began to cut up her meat. She had just lifted a fork full of the meat to her lips, but she never got to take that bite.

The main door swung open and closed with a bang! Immediately letting in a very red face Sansa into the dining room.

"YOU!" She shouted pointing her finger towards Arya as she stalked over to loom her impressive height over her. "I know your life is boring and sad, but do you have to mess with mine? Could you be more jealous? Jesus, you're like my own personal stalker! Could you please just go and hide on the stables like the ugly little horse you are and leave me and my friends alone!" Sansa screamed at Arya.

Arya was shocked. She went out of her way to avoid her sister and shallow followers. She never took the halls she knew they used, ate on the opposite end of the cafeteria at school. She had even transferred out of a class that had one to many cheerleaders in it, just so she could stay away from the people who associated with Sansa. She was sick of Sansa's friends following her, making constant fun of her, bullying her! Because of those bitched her school life was hell.

Before Arya could even open her mouth and get into another one of their epic word battles, Ned walked into the room. His face was red with anger and his eyes were tired. Arya took in his crumpled suit and his messed up hair. They were sure signs that he had not had a good day at work. Shit, this was not going to be good.

"Sansa Stark what is the meaning of this? I can hear you all the way from my office! Calling your sister names is not an option, and neither is raising your voice in this house young lady. You will act civil or so help me Sansa! No more lies about anyone else in this household." Ned looked at his daughter and he looked like an old man to Arya.

"But Dad, it's true! She's the one who doesn't leave me and my friends alone. She always follows us, turns up where ever we are. She's always messing with me! Like today she ruined Ros's dress on purpose. Just because she can't wear a dress to save her life doesn't mean she has to destroy them." Sansa seethed, her venom hitting Arya.

"The hell I did! Dad! It's not true! In fact I was the one being picked on. I was tripped and my food flew, it was an accident. Then I was attacked again by her idiotic boyfriend and her friends. She didn't even stop them and what they said to me." Arya told her father.

"Why would I defend you? Joffrey's my boyfriend and as for you, I would love it if I wasn't even related to you. You are nothing but an embarrassment to me, to us all." Sansa started to get warmed up. She opened her mouth to continue.

"ENOUGH!" Eddard Stark yelled. It was all that was needed to shut up his two daughters.

"Sansa Stark what you just said to your sister was appalling and if someone should doubt their place in this family it should be you! Where are Starks, we are family, a pack! And we never lash out at one another's throats. We protect each other. And do you want to know why? Because that's what families do. We stick together. Now I don't want to hear another word." Needs voice was sore and deadly. He spoke with passion and conviction trying to force his children to see they were all they had in the world.

With the sensation of being slapped Sansa spoke to her father but looked straight into Arya's eyes.

"Of course you would defend her, it's not exactly a secret that she's your favorite child." With the most wicked of smiles that would matched Joffrey's she said to him vile words. "It's okay Daddy, I guess someone has to love her, no one else ever will."

Arya sat there stunned. She felt her fist tighten around the knife. What she had been planning to do with the dinner knife will never be known. As she was going to launch her attack at her sister, Catelyn grabbed Arya by her wrist and gave it a surprisingly strong twist.

"Arya Lyanna Stark you sit down just this second, there is no need to fight and it's all a big misunderstanding. Your sister will apologize and we will eat our dinner like civilized people." Her mother said in her sweet voice.

"WHAT?"- It was now Sansa's turn to be amazed by her mother's behavior because as Eddard favored Arya; Catelyn always favored Sansa.

"But mother," Sansa started.

"Sansa please sit down, it is family time. Take your seat and eat your dinner before it gets to cold." Catelyn commanded.

To say you could cut the air in the room with a knife was an understatement! Bran and Rickon were looking down at their plates, Sansa was still looking at her mother as if she was waiting for her to react and scold Arya like usual, and Arya? Well Arya was thinking about how she was going to murder her sister in her sleep completely ignoring her father's tired state.

They sat down to eat. Arya was distracted by all the food, so she forgot her sister and her vapid existence. Despite the fact that the food was cold it was still good. No matter what her mother acted the woman knew how to cook.

"Well," Catelyn broke the silence after a good fifteen minutes of the sound of plates being scraped and food being eaten. "It's seems that Arya had a little incident with the Bolton's son yet again, but as Vice Principal Forel assured me it wasn't Arya's fault and all has been taken care of." She was talking directly to her husband, acting as if the children weren't even there.

"But Mom, that not true. I don't know what really happened with Ramsey and quite frankly I don't care. But she did ruin my friend's dress, she threw her entire lunch plate at her, aimed for her!" Sansa said in her best whinny voice

"Sansa, though I wasn't there I'm sure your sister did not deliberately throw pasta at Ros's was purely an accident."

Boom shut down like a child! Arya thought, enjoying her mother shift between the sisters.

"Arya's fine and Ramsey has been punished for his actions. Now Rickon, tell me about your day at school." With that everybody knew Catelyn had put the topic to rest.

Dinner went by fast, no one really wanting to spend family time together but Catelyn said she had made lemon cakes; Arya's favorite dessert and that they were all going to eat it at the table.

"So. I must inform you Ned, not that I want to talk about the lunch incident again but; your daughter actually made a new friend today." Catelyn told her husband as she set the desert down on the table.

"Really, is that right Arya?" Ned looked at Arya in surprise, since the last 'new friend' had been Gendry and that was almost four years ago.

"Uummm," was all that Arya could say. She had been eating her third lemon cake and she knew that her mother was going to talk about her friends and how inappropriate they were. So she sat stalling and eating to buy time.

"Indeed, a nice young man who helped her get cleaned up and made sure she was ok after the incident. Clearly a very nice young man; wouldn't you say that Eddard?" Her mother asked smiling brightly.

"Uhm? Ohh, of course dear, whatever you say." Ned said, clearly as confused as his children as to where this conversation was going.

Completely ignoring her mother's strange conversation Arya focused on her father who was clearly thinking about something else.

Something was up at work, he wasn't acting his normal self, he left early and came home early but shut himself away quickly locking himself in his office. He only did that when he didn't want to be around people but needed to get work done. She was going to ask him what was up when her mother's monologue came back over to them

"You actually know him dear." She said, her eyes bright.

"What, dad knows who?" asked Arya now very interested on what her mother was saying.

"The boy, Arya's new friend is Edric, Ned. The boy is Edric Dayne! The heir of Starfall Conglomerate; Arthur's son!" The smile that split across her mothers face looked like the cat from Alice in Wonderland.

"Really? Well that's a surprise. He must have come to Winterfell with Allyria. We've just started with the paperwork today." Her fathers eyes were clear but distant because he had mentioned work and that's what he was thinking about now.

Of course, Little Ned is loaded and mommy dearest wants a wedding. It all came clear now. The reason she had not grilled her about everything there was to know about him, she had already knew! But still how the hell did her mom know.

"But," as if reading her mind Catelyn said "As I am the head of the Parent - Teacher committee (something she looooved to say) and I have to know every new addition to the school, so I knew the moment he arrived. I am so proud that you decided to help Edric and showing him the school Arya. He seems such a nice boy. In fact, I think you should take him to the dance!"

That was it, from the moment Arya got into her mother's SUV her future was decided. Right then and there she now knew that her mother had played her like a fiddle, not grounding her, "listening" to her and taking her side on the shouting match with Sansa

"WHAAAAAAAAT?" said Bran, Rickon, Ned and Sansa in unison. Arya couldn't even talk!

"Mom; Arya? Dances? they..." Bran stammered, appalled at his mother tactics.

"Arya at the Winter Dance? Mom are you crazy? She'll totally find a way to ruin it for us all! It'll be like that movie Carrie!" Piped in Sansa, again in her best whinny voice.

"Catelyn what are you talking about?" Ned demanded, taking a sip of water clearly wanting something stronger.

"Who is Edric?" demanded Rickon grabbing Arya's last lemon cake as she obviously was in shock and wouldn't notice it was gone.

My mother; the backstabber...

They had never had a good relationship. Catelyn was always wanting Arya to be everything she was not! Delicate, proper, pretty; basically Sansa's Minnie-me! She even tried once, for her mother's sake but that wasn't her! She was good at school, first of her class, on the road to valedictorian; she was on the national fencing team; youngest fencer ever, she was a star gymnast and still in her own way she had a social life; but that was never enough! Just she wasn't good enough; Catelyn hated how Arya looked and acted so she wanted to changed everything she was.

"Hell will freeze over, winter will take over the world with white walkers, fucking dragons will rise again but there is no way I am going to that fucking dance." Arya said, barely a whisper, but strong enough for everyone to hear and make the hair on the nape of their necks stand up. Arya Stark's temper was famous and no one wanted to be at the receiving end. But Catelyn Stark was in another league. She was as cold as ice where her daughter was fire.

Sighing and carefully folding her napping Catelyn cleared her throat and in a very soft but deceiving tone spoke.

"Listen to me Arya Stark; as punishment for hitting Ramsey Bolton like a wild animal you will do what I say. Of course it wasn't your fault, but as always you chose violence before manners. I have not forgotten Ros's dress. That by the way is very expensive, and since you don't have a job the money will have to come from your father's pocket. I know you do "work" at the office, but you are not on the payroll as of yet, so we will be paying for the dress. You will ask Edric Dayne to the Winter Sadie Hawking Dance and that is my final word. You already know him, from what I saw he seems to like 'something' about you and God knows he is a more than obvious improvement from your other friend." She wrinkled her nose at this last remark.

Numb. That was all she could feel, how could her mother, her own blood treat her like that?

"Ugh, seriously mother, this has to be the worse idea ever." Sansa shouted getting up from the table; "and poor Edric has to say yes first, let's hope he's a gentleman as you say or else he's going to be running in the other direction as soon as he," Her voice was raising to a shrill screech with every word.

"Sansa stop it! Cat..." Ned pleaded with his wife.

"No Ned! Your daughter needs to be a lady! To wear dresses and go to dances! This is the perfect opportunity with the perfect escort! She can't run around with boys who don't even know who their father is. She can't be involved with bastards and low people. Her birth is better then all this!"

Catelyn got up clearly ending the discussion and cleared the table. Sansa headed straight to her room laughing out loud, yet crying in frustration. Rickon went straight to the family room to watch TV, now that all the cakes were gone and the drama was over. Bran sat there for a moment, looking between his sister and father. Arya felt as if she was completely adrift at the verge of crying.

"Dad please, it's not fair and not quite honorable if you ask me. Arya's not an adult but she isn't exactly a child. She can't make her," Bran had never stood up toe to toe with either of their parents before, but he was trying now.

"Brandon please"- said Ned; giving his son a look that meant immediate dismissal. Bran left the room dejected.

Left alone Eddard took Arya's hand in his and sighed.

"Although it wasn't the correct way to do it your mother means well. You are growing into an age that is important for a girl. You need to experience things, to meet people and go to certain activities and God's knows you've avoided them long enough." He sighed and rubbed hide eyes then sent his fingers into his hair. It was his stress sign.

Getting up and giving her a kiss in her forehead he said, "I can't get you out of this one my little wolf. In the end I also think it's best for you. I have work to attend to. I love you," and left Arya alone at the dinner table.

She sat there letting this all sink in. The events of the day, her mothers secret plotting, her sisters harsh words. In a way her father was now in on this plan. She let it all sink in a way that she had never done before.

She lost track of time, it was nearly eleven at night and Arya still sat on the table. Sad, angry, disgusted, mad, frustrated, she was all over the place! But she didn't cry! She wouldn't cry! If she did it would just give them the satisfaction of seeing her bent into submission. She needed to get out! To talk to someone.

She got out of the house and as she had done a millions of times before when her life had collapsed into complete shit; she dialed Gendry's number on her cell phone, but it went straight to voicemail. She walked the state grounds a little and tried again. Three more times it went to voicemail before she gave up. He didn't care about her, why did she keep on trying to rely on him after everything he kept doing to her? She kept walking and found herself outside the guesthouse; Jon's house really. He had lived there since he was fourteen, an arrangement that left both Catelyn and himself very happy.

She crept along, as silent as a mouse to the opened doors. She was hesitant to intrude on her brother and she didn't know why. Before she always went in without knocking. This had always been a safe place for her. Jon always kept her safe when her mother had ganged up on her. But tonight was different, things didn't feel right. She heard Robb's voice float out to her from inside the house.

"Where the hell's that asshole? He told me he was going to help me with my math homework."

There was a heavy smacking sound and then muffled laughter from inside the room.

"Leave him alone, he's with Jeyne right now. You know he's in his happy place, between a pair of milky thighs," said Jon laughing.

Arya stopped, inches from going in. If they were talking about what she thought they were she so did not want to hear, but she couldn't walk away now.

"Well I hope he doesn't get it up, so he can get his ass over here. I can't flunk math on my last year!" Robb bitched as he threw another object against the wall.

"You know the man. That so won't happen. The boy has a lot of pent up feelings. Jeyne may be what the doctor ordered. Come on, I can help you out. I have B in the class." She heard Jon say.

"Hey, you are right! I forgot we were in the same class. I'll just go grab a beer and then we can get going." Robb stumbled out of the room and Arya ran away into the night.

She ran until she couldn't run anymore. She came to the fence of their property. Her lungs burned and her eyes stung. Arya gasped for breath. She knew that Gendry was whoring around, but not with one of them. Why did it have to be her? Arya would have been alright with anyone being with Gendry but Jeyne was one of her worst tormentors. She felt betrayed and alone, again.

She stumbled her way back to the main house. She let herself into the side door and walked to her room deflated. Once she was safe inside she did collapsed into her bed. Thoughts, no words kept swirling in her mind.

Gendry! They were talking about Gendry. Gendry with Jeyne! Gendry having sex with Jeyne!

She clamped her pillow over her head. She wanted to banish those thoughts from her mind. She closed her eyes trying to go to sleep, but each time she closed her eyes she saw the body of the boy she had spent so many hours with. So many nights laying with him watching stupid shows late into the night together, her body cuddled up next to his. All the times she had seen his muscular body without a shirt on. Then she knew that he was burying himself deep into someone's thighs. It kept popping into her mind. She could not banish those images from her thoughts.

Again Arya cried that night; she cried for Gendry, she cried for herself; she cried because no matter what she did or how good she tried to me one loved her.


	5. Changes Part I

TUESDAY... Really? Just Tuesday? My life is a grain of sand in a giant hourglass of fucking life! Can't time just go faster so I can just be finish with school and never see anyone from Winterfell High ever again? Arya thought as she looked at her alarm clock when it rung to wake her up. She hit the snooze button and hid from the world under her blankets. She wanted to sleep, but her mind was racing.

After crying all night yet again; Arya was exhausted. Last night's eventful dinner had given her a 2 weeks' notice to invite Edric to the dance, giving her mother Catelyn the title of best dictator of all. Oh and her heart broke even more then she thought it would. Gendry and Jeyne, she didn't even want to think about that again or she would cry, again.

She decided it was time to get up. She was nervous about today. She was not sure what she would do if she saw Gen... no he doesn't get a name,him. Now that she knew what he was really doing, why he wasn't her friend anymore, all she wanted to do was punch the face she once found breath taking. Who was she kidding, it was still perfect.

Although she was a simple girl, today she took her time dressing up, not because she wanted to impress anyone, it's just that she was tired, so tired, of everyone getting on her case. She hated that anyone could run her life, making her do things she didn't want to do. She pulled out a nice outfit her mother would approve of, but it just wasn't her. She decided to think of what to wear after she washed away last night off her. After a long shower she still didn't like the cream colored cardigan and peach shorts and wedge shoes she had picked to try and show her mother she was a good daughter. Arya then rifled in her hamper and put on some skinny jeans, a grey tank top with a yellow hoodie paired with flip-flops.

She looked at herself in the mirror and tried to think of a small gesture her mother would approve of. She opened a little used cabinet in the bathroom and took out a brand new hair straighter and some kind of spray that was supposed to not let the flatiron kill her hair. She read the directions, coated her hair and put the contraption to her hair. It was longer then she had thought. It brushed her shoulders in uneven lengths. But instead of it looking bad it was edgy and hip.

Next she took a small bag of makeup. She really didn't know how to use it all, but she did know about foundation, powder and mascara. She applied it all. She was still missing something so she dumped the contents of the bag out until she found a glossy lip tint. It was the final touch and she was stunned to see that even with all this effort and time, it took twenty minutes total, she still looked like her. Yet different. She was not going to say pretty. A person wasn't pretty just because of makeup and a flatiron.

As she walked down the stairs she heard voices in the kitchen, she walked in and saw her brother Bran talking with a very concerned looking Jon.

"So, grounded to a dance? If it was a punishment for anyone else it would be a reward. But for Arya," he shook his head confused. "That's just cruel and she has to ask out the new kid? Gods, Catelyn really has it out for her."

Arya just stood there until Bran noticed her. He elbowed Jon and a look of amazement dawned on her brothers faces. She didn't think she looked that different.

"Who are you and where is my sister?" Said Jon going around the kitchen island to hug Arya.

Aside from age difference and being from different mothers Arya and Jon were the same; physically and mentally. They both had the classic Stark look. Dark hair and mean demeanor built for long winters. They were both lean but held muscles on their bodies most people over looked. Jon, while being close to Robb, always felt closer to Arya who he felt more at ease of all of the 'true born'. She loved him just as he was, defended him on every situation and threatened to fight anyone who called him a bastard. Arya adored Jon. He never said no to her, never wanted her to act like a lady and supported her on everything she did (as long as it was legal, or didn't hurt anyone too badly)

"Don't Jon. Just leave it. I´m late. Dad must be angry at me for making him wait in the car this long." Arya said, pushing away from him. She didn't even care she was going to have to skip breakfast again. She slung her bag over her shoulder and went for the door.

"Cool your jets Arya. You aren't late. Get some food so you aren't a beast today." Bran told her, sliding toast and jam down the counter. He also got her a coffee with cream, heavy on the sugar side.

"Bran dad always leaves like, now. We have to go. There's no time for this." But her stomach grumbled and that coffee looked like heaven.

"No rushing today. It's just us kids today! Dad left early to the office and Catelyn had to ruin someone else's life. Soooo you, my little kick ass are riding in style to school today." Jon smiled at her. "Now eat up. Drink up and relax."

Great; Arya thought! A ride to school in Robb's tiny sport car, smashed in there with the boys and Sansa. Arya ate slow, but not too slow. She did not want to get in that clown car. Once her coffee was done she grabbed her backpack and opened the front door. She had been distracted by Bran shouting he forgot a notebook in his room and to wait two minutes for him she didn't see anything. Once the door was fully opened she was lifted off her feet in a big bear hug by Gendry.

He held her to him and he was overdoing it. She did miss him, but not today.

"Don't hate me. I left my phone in my locker, or I would have called you last night. I told everyone to fuck off, my best girl needs me today, so I am yours, m'lady." He had a ridicules smile on his face and warmth in his eyes when he spoke. He did mean what he was saying, his tell wasn't showing, so he must he really doing it. How was it even possible that after all this time Gendry could just hug her and she would forget all his faults? Like how he pushed her aside for sex with pretty girls? How he spent his free time with her brothers? How he didn't defend her... but he smelled so good. God she loved his smell!

Craving his contact and attention she hugged him back fiercely. She even wrapped her arms around his neck and circling her legs around his waist like a little monkey. It was something they used to do often before. He said it was a good workout. She just liked not having to crane her face up to look him in the eyes. She realized she was acting like a fool and remembered she was mad at him, so she untangled herself from his. She tried to glare, but he looked so good, she couldn't glare.

"What are you doing here?" Arya demanded. She leaned into him, her body pulled to him against her will. He took her hand in his and she wanted to melt back into him.

"Well, after school I ran into Sansa and the girls at the mall. They were all still pissed at you. Sansa's mood included. When Jon called my house this morning I told him that is would be best if you stayed away from Sansa and her friends for a little while. Robb took her and Rickon to school already. That leaves you with us nerds and dummies to escort you." He looked like a happy puppy, waiting for his reward.

"Oh," was all Arya could say. Her mind worked fast! Gendry did not go to malls. He hated malls. He ran into 'the girls'? And she quickly remembered Jon and Robb's conversation from last night; Gendry was hooking up with Jeyne Poole, and more then once. Her friends must now be his now. Another reason they haven't been friends in so long.

This was not her Gendry. This was their Gendry acting like her Gendry. It was sick, sad and wrong. Feeling deep sadness descend all over her she took a forced step away from Gendry, he still had her hand, but it wasn't as comfortable between them now. Bran was looking down at them from the stairwell with an odd look but said nothing as he walked to the door. Arya gave him a look that meant spill your news. He just shook his head. He wasn't going to talk.

Arya was so torn. She was so happy he talked to her, but at the same time it took her meeting someone new to make him open his eyes. What is his deal? Bran knew something she wasn't seeing. Maybe he would tell her what was happening. But that would have wait, it was time for school.

"Here Snow, you drive. Brandon my friend, you get shotgun. And I get to chill in the back with my la... Ouch Arya what was... Damn it Ar." Gendry whined while Arya punched him. "Stop hitting me!"

"Call me my lady one more time and I'll show you what I really call a punch!" She said storming away to Gendry's truck. It always amazed her how quickly Gendry pissed her off. Her anger at him was always below the surface these days, and he really brought it out in her. Hitting him had helped some, she wanted to hit him again. Knowing the stupid idiot she would have her chance.

They all followed her over to the truck and true to his word Gendry sat in the backseat with her. She almost hit him again when he opened the door and held out his hand to help her in, but he had just smiled and jumped in, leaving her to follow on her own, just the way she liked it. She had thought things would be difficult for her with him. It had been literally months since they had a normal conversation together but it felt just perfect sitting by his side and joking. Although she still felt confused that Gendry didn't feel the same way about her any more, no longer close friends more like people who knew each other and still saw each other. They had shared so much over the years they fell into the same old routines. She now knew she was ugly, not loose enough for him, not popular enough, she knew this and she should hate him. Sadly she enjoyed being by his side, it was like he was supposed to always be there.

The ride was short but fun. Jon was talking about their college admissions, Bran was annoying everybody with classical music on the radio and Gendry talking about some car part he needed for his truck to truly make it purr like a kitten. She wasn't really hearing any of them but just looked at Gendry. No longer was he the gangly boy she had met. He was still at school, still the goofball at heart, but in the last year he had grown into a guy worthy of a GQ spread! She wished she was Jeyne Poole, just for a moment. She wished he could just spend time with him again talking nonsense, eating junk food and falling asleep together after a scary movie marathon.

"Earth to Arya?" She jumped, looking guilty because she had just started to imagine... well that didn't matter. They were already parked at the school parking lot beside Robb's car and all three where looking at her from outside the car, waiting for her to get out. She looked down and realized she should actually get out.

"What! Oh yeah, sorry. I was ummmm thinking!" she said, blushing madly as she obviously got caught looking at Gendry. They started walking to the school and made it to the sidewalk, hands bumping, almost touching.

"As I was saying, I like what you did with your hair. Its edgy and will surely piss off your mom with the weird edges. I like it," said Gendry holding her backpack. Arya smiled at the compliment and was glad she did do her hair. "So maybe we could have lunch toge..."

Robb walked over to Gendry, poking him in the chest bone, angry at his buddy.

"You owe me a very detailed explanation of where the hell you were last night Waters." Robb who had waiting for them on the main stairs had made it to them like a bat out of hell.

Gendry stopped walking, Arya stopped to. She felt the need to bolt. She did not want to hear it from Gendry that he is screwing a bitch. But her escape was cut off by four tall guys, three of whom were her family. She couldn't hit them to run, yet.

"Seriously?" Gendry looked sideways at Arya then back to Robb. He stepped closer and talked lower. "Can't we talk, like fucking later."

"It's guy code bro. You can't abandon me with my math homework, no matter how hot the girl is, or how much you need a," Robb finally saw Arya and shut up. "We need to talk."

Well, there goes my Gendry time; Arya thought as she shoved past them. She really didn't need to know details about Gendry's mouth attached to Jeyne, any part of her.

"Arya, wait!" She heard Gendry call after her, but she kept walking. She knew it was to good to be true. They would not let him go back to her, not now, not ever. She should have just stayed in bed, faked a torn ligament or something. It was possible, it could have happened.

As she walked up the stairs she was surprised by a very cheerful Edric who was waiting for her at the front door. Having Gendry for just a few moments she had completely forgot about Edric! That was not good.

"Good morning Arya. The day might just be as beautiful as you." He said with a happy voice that she thought it was adorable and incredible considering she found it amazing that anyone besides Bran ever sounded this excited to be at school. She was in such a foul mood she almost missed his compliment.

"Hey Edric, guess I owe you a tour uh?" She smiled at him in thanks for the compliment. Then she remembered the jacket. "Crap, I forgot your jacket." She was pissed she had forgotten. That's what happens when you do stiff to your appearance.

"It's okay. It looked better on you anyway. Maybe you can hold on to it for me longer? I might need it as an excuse to see you sometime." He said again blushing madly. Quickly brushing him off Arya laughed and began walking with him through the hallway. She couldn't flirt, not with the thought of Gendry and his night time activities trying to intrude into her thoughts every ten seconds.

"So what's the situation with your schedule? Did they fix it? Can I see it?" She tried not to sound annoyed. It wasn't him that was causing her grief.

"Sure," he said as he handed her the piece of paper. He was totally unpaved by the dark cloud over her.

"They fixed it and we have all our classes together Ed! That's great! That way I can show you around without missing any of my classes. But I have to tell you the Miss Manners class will be to thrilling for you." She looked at him and he had a faked shocked expression on his face.

"We have all the same classes? Who would have imagined that? I was hopping on spending more time with you. And I think we can survive the Miss Manners class, together." After an awkward moment of silence a very embarrassed Edric said "So, what kind of student are you?"

They were almost to her locker. The swell of people had finally opened up and she was about to answer him.

"She's a genius. Considering she forgets her books!" They both turned around to see Gendry by Arya's locker holding her backpack. "Forgot something? Seems like you were in a hurry to get somewhere," said Gendry; looking at Edric from head to toe.

"Of course I was in a hurry," she said snatching her bag from his fingertips. "I have better things to do than to hear about your sex life Waters." She threw out the last with a hint of disgust.

"That wasn't what we were talking about." He raked his hand in his hair and didn't look at her. That was his tell that showed he was lying. "Anyway I told you I was going to be on your beck and call all day today, so I am going to walk m'lady to her first class."

"That won't be necessary Gendry. I'll walk Arya to class, we have the same schedule and I must insists; considering she promised me her full attention to show me the ropes. So if you'll excuse us kind ser! My lady, are you ready for our first lesson?" Where the hell did that come from? Edric brushed Gendry off like he was a five year old!

Arya was never a delicate kind of girl but without saying anything she placed her arm around Edric and left for their first class of the day. She knew she was being spiteful, but the stupid fool deserved some of what he had given her.

As they walked pass a very pissed of Gendry; she not so gently pinched Edric's arm.

"Call me a lady again and I'll kick your ass Dayne. But thank you kind ser, that was simple marvelous. I think Waters jaw is either still on the floor or all his teeth are broken." They both laughed their way to the classroom.

**...**

Arya spent all morning with Edric finding out more about him. She had always had a way with getting people to talk, weather they wanted to or not. She found out some interesting facts.

He was from Starfall and yes he was loaded! His family owned Starfall Conglomerate; a corporate group that specialized in media affairs and public relations. They were now working hand in hand with Stark Industries, trying to bolster mass interest from the common folk as well as do damage control where the Baratheons were concerned. Edric came to Winterfell with his Aunt Allyria; acting CEO of the group until Edric turned 18. His father died in a car accident leaving them as the only two Dayne's alive. Edric was smart, super smart. He liked to read all sort of books, a lot, was ridiculously witty and easy to talk to.

He was very much curious about Arya herself. He asked her about her hobbies, her brothers, sister and parents and what she liked to do on her spare time. She gave him a glazed over family history but went on about gymnastics and fencing.

Being a good tour guide meant that Arya had to introduce Edric to everyone; witch mean people she didn't normally talk to. From class to class she introduced him to all jocks, Goths, slackers, nerds and preppy girls in the school; the last ones batting their eyes at him as soon as he introduced himself. As she did so; she found herself talking to people in her school for the first time. It wasn't comfortable but wasn't annoying. She learned that she didn't have to be on the defensive mode always and even got some friendly stares in return. She remembered some of her supporters from the day before and wondered if they were some of the ones she had talked to. She thought about what her mother had said, how she should be more social and less aggressive, a side that in just a few hours Edric had managed to pull out of her, as for now being nice didn't hurt, maybe change was good.

It was lunch time and Arya found herself again in line with her lunch tray in hand, waiting for someone to jump at her. She was on edge, looking for evil at every turn. She had completely toned out Edric, she was to worried about watching her back.

"What?" She practically spat at Edric who was in front of her in line.

"You know I've learned a lot about school today." Hesaid to her.

"Really?" said Arya, looking over her shoulder waiting for Ramsey to show up. She was only half paying attention.

"Yes I have! But most of all I've learned that if I'm going to be afraid of someone it should be of Arya Stark." His tone was light and she couldn't tell if he was joking or not.

"You know I've been on my best behavior today Dayne," she started to defend herself.

"I know Stark! And being with you all day made has made me realized that you Arya are a fascinating being," he looked deeply into her eyes, looking into her soul.

"Me? Fascinating? You read too many knight's tale Dayne." She tried to brush the comment aside and not let him know how pleased he was making her feel.

Still making small talk Arya decided she didn't want to eat at the food court and lead Edric to an old table next to the gym, her old spot where she used to sit with Gendry and Hot Pie.

"So favorite band?" He asked her, to ease the tension.

"Don't have one, I like everything, it depends on my mood really!" That was a good answer and it was the truth, she didn't have one favorite band.

When not talking about school related issues Edric had never stopped asking Arya questions, about her family, what food she liked, everything he could think about but suddenly stopped and got all red faced.

"And anyone special in your life?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" She responded putting all her attention to her strawberry pudding. This was so not something she wanted to be talking about.

"Don't mind her, the world can come to an end and she wouldn't care as long as she was eating something." Hot Pie said sitting on the table as he did millions of times. He saved the day, like always. "Hey Edric, how's Arya treating you? Has she gotten you in any fights yet?"

Lunch time passed quick and easy, with Edric bonding with Hot Pie over everything Arya. She had not had such a fun lunch for a long time. And the rest of the school day went by great as well. The bell rang and as she had done all day; she walked with Edric towards the main entrance.

"So, did I do well as tour guide? You think you can survive at Winterfell High without me by your side?" She asked, shoving into his shoulder playfully.

"I could but honestly? I like you! I mean I like you by my side. I mean... as a friend?" He finished lamely.

"Edric!" Arya shouted putting him out of his misery and willing to smack him so he would stop blushing, people were already looking at them. "I got the message and you're cool too! Thank God for that since in only one day you've managed to compile all of our schoolwork together for the entire year so we get all A's."

"Well, we do make a good team," he replied, looking at her a little longer than normal.

"Arya!" Someone shouted in the halls before she could say something to put her foot in her mouth.

She realized it was Robb yelling to her from his car; he was waving to her like a mad man.

"I have to go, my brother is waiting for me." She checked to make sure she had everything for the nights work ahead.

"Sure, I see him. See you tomorrow?" He asked like a boy who didn't want to let go of his lifeline.

"Sure Ed, bye." She called over her shoulder as she hurried over to Rob.

"Wait! Don't go. Here. I forgot." Suddenly Edric grabbed her hand and pulled back. He started scribbling numbers on her hand. "That's my cell phone number, just in case you need help with homework." He was blushing again. He really needed to work on that.

"You know you have tons of paper inside your backpack?" She asked as she looked down at his perfect handwriting.

"I do, but if I write it down on paper you'll probably lose it! This way you'll see my number all day and eventually will decide to call me." The blushing boy was gone and in his place was a confidant young man.

"Look at you, Edric Dayne; ladies man!" She laughed and his blush reappeared.

"Nope, not true. I don't give out my number so consider yourself my one and true lady. There's my ride. Call me later, " and with that Edric left.

Walking quickly over to Robb's car. She was relieved she saw no sign of her evil redheaded sister around.

"Where's Sansa?" She asked when she was close enough not to shout.

"She already left with Joffery. Jon and the boys left with Gendry. Are you up for a little bonding time with your second favorite brother?" Robb knew where he stood with her but he was kidding about that second favorite comment.

"Psss, don't be so cocky Robb, you know you're the third, Bran's the second. But if Rickon keeps up with things you might be bumped to fourth." She loved giving him a hard time.

"Well if that's the case you just got bumped to second favorite sister. Now get in." The two slid into his car and she started messing with the radio. He always had weird rap on in his car, thinking it was hip and cool. She ignored his protest and changed it to some alternative rock. She gloated to know he knew the bands and sang along with her and the radio.

Taking a little detour to buy Arya's favorite ice cream flavor the ride was better then expected. Robb asked Arya about school, her next fencing match and Edric; who Robb obviously saw give Arya his phone number. He didn't pester her too bad and made her laugh. The best part was he didn't make her think of Gendry for one second. Looking down at her empty ice cream container she wondered yet again about what her mother had said. Maybe her mother was right, maybe change wasn't such a bad thing.

She had been shocked today. People were not always out to get her. They could be nice. Today just proved it. She didn't need a certain stupid boy to make her day. She just needed to open up. As they pulled up to the house she vowed she was going to do just that. Keep her eyes opened for the good things and not dwell on the past. Arya was a changing person and the world had better be ready for her.


	6. Changes Part II

The rest of the week went by fast. Arya was doing what she had vowed. She was looking at life in a new way. She owed herself that, but it wasn't easy. She got along great with Edric and he was a bright spot in her life. He was funny and caring. Plus Hot Pie seemed to like the guy. He was turning out to be a pretty good friend. He also was getting her to do better in school, not that it had ever been an issue, but more the less she had better marks in school than ever. Even Bran was impressed.

The most shocking part in the past week were the new people she met. With Edric at her side she was talking to people she never would have noticed before. He was the lunch pin to her social awakening. She talked to other outcasts like herself and found them pleasant, if not down right amusing. If you would have asked her Monday after the lunch room incident if she would have friends, let alone they would be new people she would have laughed in their faces. But that didn't mean her life was any more uncomplicated, it was far from that.

Arya took it upon herself to make it a day by day situation not to think of Gendry; who was considerably absent from the Stark Manor that entire week. Sansa and Catelyn where in full winter Sadie Hawking's dance mode, planning yet another crown victory for Clan Stark, so they barely talked to her, which was fine with her. The less she had to do with them the better. Her brother's where somewhere being their usual playboy selves. So on Thursday night she found herself outside her father's home office. She needed to talk to him, but about what she was unsure.

She tried to tell herself that her time with Edric was nothing. That his stupid comments were nothing. He made not so subtle comments about liking her. At first she brushed them off. She was living life with opened eyes. But on nights like these where she was all alone she couldn't ignore her feelings. She wouldn't be Arya Stark if she didn't have reservations about, well, everything!

At first she didn't care, she even though it all was cute. The way he blushed and acted. Then for 5 seconds she thought it was just simply annoying. She really worried that after a week of knowing each other he was going to propose marriage. She wasn't that close to friends with him that way. Plus Arya wouldn't be Arya if she didn't find something in the situation to use to her advantage.

So as much as Edric bombarded her with questions about herself, like who her favorite author was and what she liked to eat. Arya found herself doing the same thing, anything to prolong her having to ask him to the dance. What she really wanted to know was what he could tell her about his company and her fathers. So she asked him about Starfall Conglomerate, and more specifically about their involvement with Stark Industries.

She found out that Stark Industries was knee deep in some sort of deep and ballsy move overseas with a nameless company; but Edric didn't know who it was. This peaked Arya's interest, considering her father's somber mood over the past couple of weeks. They had always a very open father-daughter relationship and no matter how grand or small the problem they would always talk to each other. She had grown up at his knee learning the family business. No matter what anyone thought she was the one being groomed for the family business, not her brother Robb. It was only a matter of time till they all realized this.

So here she stood, at her father's study door. She was about to bust in her father's inner sanctum in their house and ask questions she knew she shouldn't. But again she wouldn't be Arya if she didn't do things her way. She let herself in without knocking. Without looking up Eddard knew it was Arya who came into the office, she was the only one who dared to come in without knocking.

"Good Evening Arya, tell your mother I'll be down in a minute for dinner! There's some paperwork I have to finish." His voice was sure, but his mind was far away.

"Dinner? Dad it's almost 10pm, you missed dinner!" She kept her voice light, but she was burning with questions. "This new gravesite must be huge! Are those the maps?" Just as Arya was going to grab a document from the desk Eddard quickly took them and put them in a file that he then put inside a locked drawer in his desk.

"No! Not really. I was just working on some numbers from finance. I'm afraid too boring for your liking." He was evading her, she knew him too well for that.

"Dad, what's up? You always fill me in on the new projects! I swear that if it wasn't for Mom's matchmaking attempts I wouldn't even know about the Dayne's! What's that about anyway? I thought our next big project was the Wall". She tried to be nonplussed about the whole thing, her father was so pleased at her easy reaction to him hiding things from her. He laughed out loud at the thought.

"Our project? Well, I've missed you on early morning board meetings little Lady. But if you really want to know I can have you added to the list of members." Ned's voice was firm, but also giving. Out of all his children Arya was the only one who took an interest in the family business.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know this was a full board matter. But father am I not a Stark, father?" Arya asked. Her tone was sharp and hurt. She wanted the truth and she would not leave till she got it. If that meant using Edric she would get the answers!

"Yes, my dear, you are, some days more than others but I just can't share everything in the business with you. You are just a child after all." He sounded sad and tired, but Arya wouldn't give up so easy. It wasn't her way!

"Well, then as a Stark it is my business as well! More so; since I never see anyone else asking you questions about work I should get answers! God knows that Rob doesn't even know how to pick up a shovel and he's supposed to be your heir." She spouted off in anger.

Well, she had a point. If anyone had the Stark gene in full swing; it was Arya! She was strong headed and firm on her opinion, loyal to death and of all his children (yes including his eldest who was supposed to succeed him in the business) cared for the families greater good. It was always Arya who found it fascinating to work with the secrets within the Earth! To go to other lands, explore its history and people who had lived there for years before them. To find objects that where considered lost was her passion. Something that warmed Eddard heart because he saw that passion once before, in a young woman, his sister Lyanna; a young girl that died years ago.

"Okay then. Tell me Little Wolf, what do you want to know?" He asked as he leaned back in his chair. Arya was shocked. It never took so little time to wear him down. It usually took an hour of verbal sparring, which she loved, to get him to cave this fast. Arya wasn't ready, so she said the first thing to come to her mind.

"Everything! Such as how come you always have that long face! What secret project are you working on with Edric's family and what's going on with The Wall? You love your work Dad as do I, so spill!" Arya said; crossing her arms and putting her legs over the desk as she reclined in a chair.

Yes; definitely like her aunt. Ned thought. His daughter's speech, and his sisters memory made him answer.

"Well okay then. In matters concerning to the Wall , it is our latest project; but as always you have to look towards the future and the future right now is overseas. I can't tell you where specifically, because it involves many internationals permits and other matters, but as soon as it is final you will be the first one to know!" Ned said truthfully.

"Really? Oh my god Daddy, that sounds amazing! You totally have to let me go with you on this one, pleeeeeeease?!" Arya had never been overseas. She desperately wanted to go. It was her dream. To discover even more ancient artifacts than they had in Westeros.

"It's a project for the long run darling, but we'll see." He tried to keep his promise light and noncommittal.

"So that's all? You're worried about permits and stuff? Nothing else?" She glared at him. Willing him to tell her more. He wasn't going to get out of this one so easily.

But he lied. He also knew what to say to throw her off the scent. "Yes, I'm sure. As a matter of fact I was going to invite you to a dig. That is if you wanted to join me tomorrow on a small site near the Godswood. You would be most welcome." It wasn't a total lie. He did have a small site he was willing to let her help on.

"If I wanted? Of course I want to! I don't even care what we're looking for." Arya was practically jumping out of her seat.

Done, he had stopped her mind from wanting to know more of what was troubling him. But just to make sure he sweetened the pot. He knew of her troubles and he felt no shame form exploiting them, as long as it kept her away from the truth.

"Perfect! I call and tell Gendry to give you a ride from school to the site tomorrow." He beamed. And on queue Arya's face changed. If fell so fast from overjoyed to an angry shade of red.

"I'm not joined at the hip with Gendry. I have other friends that can give me a ride to the site." She said with a voice, mixed with fury and sadness all at once.

"I'm sure of that Arya, it's just that Gendry is always the one who drives you around." He didn't want to push things, but he always liked the boy. He felt for him, knowing his past the way he did. He deserved better. He had nurtured his daughters friendship with the boy, encouraged his sons to like him. In a way he was family.

"Well I decided that he won't be taking me to digs anymore. In fact, I have the perfect guy to drive me to the dig! I'll tell Edric! He mentioned he wanted to see more of what we really do, not just the PR stuff." She sounded so pleased with herself. Ned decided to show shock. He knew she would go to him as an escape.

"Edric? Edric Dayne? I know you two were becoming friends. Isn't he the one you have to take to the dance? Have you actually asked him to that dance yet?" Now it was Eddard's turn to be interested in her life. He knew all the facts already. His little spy in the family, Rickon, had told her everything he knew on the matter.

"Hell no, I haven't asked him yet. He's my friend Dad. I don't think it's appropriate to force him into my punishment, do you? Since we both want to know more about our family's businesses we should become friends. I just want to be his friends dad." She felt a trap surround her. But didn't really know where it was coming from yet.

"Who are you and what have you done to my daughter? When have you ever had a friend that was male? Oh wait, I remember." Her father said as he smiled at her.

"Shut up Dad" Arya said. "I am just friends with Edric. And the other person you refer to is not the point right now." She felt uncomfortable and shifted in her chair.

"Arya, I know you don't want to talk about your personal issues with your good old dad here. But I want you to know that I will always be here to help you out. I know I have been working hard, that I have been distracted lately. I will be busy for a while, but I want you to remember if there is ever anything you need to know I'm here for you." He stood up from his desk and held out his arms for her to come to him for a hug.

Arya rose and walked into her fathers embrace. For as long as she lived his arms would always be the safest place in the world. When she was small she had always run to him when her sister had been cruel and made her cry. He had been the one to tell her she was beautiful and perfect. When she came to him when she had done better than the boys and they made her feel like a freak when she had beaten them her father had told her never to hold back because she was a Wolf and she had to be proud of her strength she had believed him. In her eyes there would never be a man alive that would be as good as her father.

"Thank's for talking with me daddy, it means the world to me. I was just very worried about you. You never hide things from me and I love our opened relationship. I try not to hide things from you as well. When I have my feelings sorted out you will be the first to know. I'll leave you alone. If you need me I'll be up in my room, I'm gonna call Edric and tell him the news right now". She kissed his cheek and left the study.

Edward walked back around his desk and sat down heavily. He hated lying to his family, especially Arya. It tore him up inside. Taking out a key from his pocket he opened the top drawer of his personal files. He opened them and took out three thick files and laid them on his desk side by side. Inside were secrets that could topple his whole world. He hoped, no prayed, they would stay hidden until his family more importantly his children were old enough to understand everything.

He was relaxed from his talk with Arya. She was easily derailed from everything he was trying so hard to hide. He looked at the files and felt anger well up inside him. He stood from his desk and walked to a sideboard that held various liquors for when he had visitors, namely Robert, who stopped by. He pulled over a bottle of fixing himself a drink then went back to his desk and opened the first file.

He sat there looking at the information and for the hundredth time was shocked at what he saw. He shuddered and took a pull from the drink he had in his hand. He opened the second one, this one thick with multiple files inside. He smiled at the top page as he was feeling very good about this project. The third, despite the information, was the most unsettling. This file could either make his company or break it. Ned finished his drink and sat back in his chair with this file in his hands. It was all riding on this venture. Ned had to decide, stay with the evil he knew or go out with the one he didn't.

**...**

The Cure's 'Friday I'm in Love' blasted over Rob's stereo as Arya shouted it word for word. It was a favorite song of hers. And since it was a Friday she didn't feel bad for her off key singing. It had been months since Arya was happy. It was Friday; another strange week at school was soon to be over and today she was going on a grave dig expedition with her new best friend, Edric Dayne. She was not really going to call him that, but that was the word on the street. Life was goooooood!

"Only you could be this happy to be knee deep in mud, snow, sand or whatever you are going hoping to find something that no one has seen in zillion of years", said Rob clearly amused at his little sister's mood.

"You know Robert," said Arya in her greatest Catelyn voice "you must learn the family business. You can't chase girls forever! You are a Stark, the first born, destined for greatness." Everyone in the car recited in unison as they practically chanted the words their mother said to Robb since they could remember.

"Ok, I liked you more Arya when you were the crazy singing lady, not the ring leader to my doom." Replied Robb, not wanting to sour the mood with Catelyn's traditional ways.

"So, what's up with the outfits?" Arya asked, looking at Robb but more so at Jon, who sat at the backseat with Bran and Rickon. They were smashed in together in the tiny back seat. Sansa left early to start full gear on her campaign for Winter Princess with their mother first thing that morning.

"Yeah! I want to know too. Why does Jon look like someone died?" Rickon demanded, making everybody laugh.

"Just because I wear black doesn't mean someone died Rickon. It's just a fashion choice." Jon said ruffle. To be honest he looked mighty fine in a suit that of course was black, he always wore black.

"Seriously Jon, I have never seen a human being with so much hair product on them. That must be harmful for your health" Bran joked, trying to mess up Jon's hair.

Jon shoved his brother's advancing hand away as he shifted away. The older boys had been edgy since breakfast when their mother had pounced on them.

"Today's the college fair at school. You have to make a good impression on the representatives if you want a chance at getting in a good college." Robb replied to his younger siblings. "So that means Jonny boy has to tame his wild curls. End of discussion."

Neither Rob nor Jon needed to worry about getting into a good school. Although they weren't as smart as Bran or Arya; both had decent GPA's and where bound to be offered a full ride with a sport scholarship to any school of their choosing.

They dropped Rickon off at the elementary school and the rest rode onto the high school campus in silence. Arya was mulling over the best thing to say to both make her brothers mad and boost their masculine sensibilities. They all piled out of the car once Robb parked the car. Unlike normal days they walked into school in a family fashion. Robb and Jon got ogled at and Arya got stares as well, she just didn't notice. She had a zinger to deliver to her brothers.

"Come on you guys. You don't have to worry about anything. If the representative is a female she'll be gagging for you once she sees y..." Arya forgot to breathe. She forgot how to speak... Gendry Waters was standing in front of the stairwell looking absolutely gorgeous!

Although he wasn't wearing a suit like her brothers, Gendry looked even more striking than either of them. He was wearing a simple blue sweater that matched his eyes, grey pants and had combed his hair out of his eyes. He was devastating, simply devastating to her resolve to forget him.

"Hey Idiots! It took you guys forever. I'm nervous as hell about all this! And why the hell are you guys wearing suits for? I thought we agreed on casual" Gendry started complaining as soon as he saw them.

"We did! But Catelyn? She did not!" Both brothers said in unison, like they rehearsed it; clearly annoyed with the Head She-Stark, and her attitude on forcing them to dress how she wanted that morning.

"Well you should have called me and I would had gotten a suit." Gendry looked down at his outfit, clearly feeling under dressed next to the Stark grandeur.

"Are you kidding Gen? You're hot! And according to what Arya is saying any female recruit would drop her panties for any of us. What do you think Arya? Does Gendry make the girls go ga-ga?" Bran piped up, wanting to get back at his sister for making his older brothers, his idols, feel like idiots.

But Arya was just that! Ga-ga for Gendry. But to her surprise it was Gendry who took the fashion police role for the day.

"What the hell are YOU wearing Arya?" Gendry roared as he walked over to her and tried to shield her from view of the eyes of the school population.

Arya looked down at what she was wearing and was at a loss. Since she was going directly from the school to the grave site she decided she would dress for the task. Which meant her old cargo boots, a battled tank top covered by an old football jacket; Gendry's to be exact! But what Gendry was referring to was her 'very short' denim shorts.

"What? They're comfortable and I'll tan my legs while I dig!" She demanded looking at Gendry. Her anger rose to meet his. He never cared about her shorts length before. He sure as hell didn't have the right to care now.

"God knows you need some color on your legs girl," said Theon, who joined the gang in their banter. He really didn't care about family squabbles, Theon was a laid-back guy, loyal but extremely carefree.

"Really? I think she's perfect as she is." Edric declared, who had arrived quietly and was waiting for Arya as always to go their first class of the day.

The comment was not lost on her brother's; who were eyeing Edric in full over protective big brother mode.

"And who are you supposed to be; Indiana Jones?" Her bookish brother asked.

"Bran!" yelled Arya

"It's okay, Arya. I might have over done it a bit. I have never done anything outside of the family's headquarters' back at Starfall and I guess I got excited to get my hands dirty for once." Edric said, blushing as normal. The boy was all but missing the hat to be no other than Henry Jones Jr himself.

"You look fine Edric! Any of you guys magically have some pants that fit me?" She looked to the men in her life that surrounded her. "No? So I'm gonna keep my short's on and go to class." She walked away, with her arm looped in Edric's. She was all for leaving them in the dust, like they deserved.

"You better keep them on," muttered Gendry under his breath as they left when the bell rang.

It was Gendry who was left with Jon still looking at Arya while she went arm in arm with Edric to their classroom.

"I'm sorry but what just happened?" Asked a very confused Gendry. "Who the fuck is that Edric kid? What's his hold on Arya? Why is HE going with her to a grave site? I'm the one that always takes her! And, those shorts where very... very... well they were short, she was showing every inch of her legs Jon!" Gendry demanded to the only other male who knew Arya as well as he did.

"I don't Bro. But what I do know she and I need to talk about _THAT_ pronto! I don't like that attachment any more than you do. I blame Catelyn and her punishment." Jon said looking at his baby sister and her new friend who happened to be a boy.


	7. Crown and Politics

The College Fair was being held at the school gym and open to all; not just seniors. All afternoon classes were canceled for all students because today was the first day of campaigning for Winterfell's Sadie Hawking's Dance Queen. Lunch break was extended for the rest of the day also so seniors could take a good look at all the universities and the rest of the student body could enjoy the presentation of the candidates.

To Arya it all was crap. She still had two and a half years in this shit hole. She didn't want to hear the speeches or see the collages that were recruiting. But she was glad for the half day. If it had not been for her mother she would be knee deep in mud but alas, she found herself in the gym, bored out of her mind.

The gym was decorated in silver and white despite still being summer, in a town called Winterfell you really didn't have many theme options. There was a big stage set in the middle of the room for the candidate's presentation speech with a large food table with refreshments at the back for those who either wanted to hear the girls talking or for free food. But what filled the gym where the many stands that represented different universities for all of Westeros. Winterfell was a good scouting spot for future CEO's considering the wealthy families that lived there, and having a famous last name was something that a school good or _bad_ always considered when they recruited.

While everybody mingled Arya sat at the bleachers watching the scene out of boredom. It bothered her that not only had her mother told her to stay all day but so had Principle Forel. She was alone because Hot Pie volunteered to help at the refreshment table; he had a new pastry recipe to try out, still not of age Edric was strolling through various stands to see who looked like a match for him, Bran was as well; who always planned ahead 5 years of his life; what an over achiever! The older boys were busy talking to all the different college representatives which made Arya think about how different next year was going to be.

She was not going to be able to see Robb, Jon, Theon and Gendry every day. Hell she didn't know if they were even going to stay at Winterfell. Sansa would no doubt rule the school as a senior and Arya would be left alone for two more years. If only she could fast-forward time.

'What was the name of that crappy movie with the kid with the time watch that Gendry made me see?" She murmured out loud to herself. She felt like a first class idiot talking to herself, but with no one around who was she supposed to talk to?

As for Robb and Jon; Arya had no idea of where they wanted to go or what they wanted to study. Senior year was supposed to steer you in the direction of what you wanted to do in life ,but this last year all they wanted to do was party. Theon was another wild card; you can't make a career out of sleeping around unless you became a prostitute and she didn't think it was a career option held by any school. He would always return to his hometown in the Iron Islands with his sister Asha, but with the reputation his sister had he knew his party days were over.

It was Gendry who intrigued Arya the most! His uncle Tobho was not a man of wealth, although had a decent job and a roof over their heads she knew Tobho couldn't afford most of the ivy schools that were on display. Gendry was sure to be offered sport scholarships but Arya knew that he did sports as a hobby and he didn't really see himself playing a sport for the rest of his life. Gendry liked cars; he liked building things so maybe he would go on that direction, since they hadn't talked very much since last year Arya didn't know what Gendry was thinking about for his future. Arya's thoughts were disrupted by Professor Mordane's voice from the stage, booming over the assembled crowds.

"Good Morning to all students, faculty members and representatives of Westeros finest colleges. It is time for the first presentation of the candidates for Queen of the Winterfell's Sadie Hawke Dance! Each candidate will come up on stage and will introduce herself briefly to you all. So without further ado, here are your princesses!"

"Aww great, here comes the real ass kissing," Arya said out loud, filly committed to the crazy act, making herself more comfortable in her seat as she saw four very different girls take the stage.

First came Brienne Tarth; blond Amazon feared by all! Brienne was a tall, mean muscled girl who Arya had talked to a few times. Arya liked her. She was the only girl who played football, baseball and basketball, on the boy's teams. So Arya knew her from the games when she cheered her brothers and Gendry.

"Hello my name is Brienne! Vote for me as Queen of the Sadie Hawkins Dance and you will have a true woman, who stands for her values and rights and isn't just a pretty face." It was short and to the point speech that was clapped by all. Brienne was not queen material but people liked her and well, they were afraid she kicked their asses if they didn't applaud.

Second called came Osha Wild on stage; representative of the emo community in the school. Dragging herself to the microphone, she took her gum from her mouth stuck it on the underside of the mic and said; "Osha Wilde! Don't care if you vote! I'm here because Mordane threatened me so you can all kiss..."

"Thank you Osha," Professor Mordant cried taking the mic out of Osha's hand. "Always the joker!" She was giving Osha a look that screamed murder. "Now for another candidate!"

Next came Margery Tyrell; Sansa's direct and only contender known for getting everything she wants. Flashing her disturbingly white teeth she walked cool, calm and collected to the center of the stage.

"Good day to you all. As you may already know, my name is Margery and although I am aware that the title of Queen is very much respected and is something to be honored; I would find myself proud to be queen just because such an excellent student body with such bright futures and minds would be the ones voting. Thank you all and enjoy your weekend!"

You had to give it to her, Margery Tyrell knew how to work a crowd. With easy words she had the faculty members in her pocket and with curves to die for she had all male in a 100 mile radius at her feet. Surely Sansa wasn't going to be happy with the standing ovation sweet Marge got after her speech.

Last but not least came her sister Sansa. She was wearing a little not fitted for a tall stage white dress, a blue cardigan sweater and her hair perfectly brushed to a shine. Evil sister or not it was difficult not to admit that Sansa looked like a very beautiful and expensive doll.

"It is sometimes difficult being the last one to speak, much more so after my fellow beautiful candidates such amazing jobs. I just hope that you would take the time to get to know me and see that I am not putting myself out there for a crown! That I would be honored to be this school's representative as much as my family has done for Winterfell since the age of the First Men. That I would promote good causes and not just beauty on the outside. I am Sansa Stark and I hope I will have your support on Winterfell's Sadie Hawke's Dance."

BOOM; like a ninja! If you doubted Sansa was a Stark you could see she was one when she showed her fangs and right now they were on display for everyone to see, Sansa had never lost a pageant and wasn't going to start know.

As the candidates made their way off the stage Sansa practically ran over and hugged Arya; who was shocked and sickened by the display.

"Oh my God. Oh my God Arya! I was sooo nervous! Did you see how pretty the other girls are? And so intelligent! I'm just honored that I can be in the same stage as them." Sansa posed and was even looking around to see if anyone was looking at her talking to the Stark family outcast.

'Did Hot Pie spike the juice? What the fuck?" Arya said as she tried to push Sansa away.

For being the leader of the Winterfell Airheads Club; Sansa had a political savvy mind, she knew that being seen hugging her younger sister would display a family oriented image that no doubt would be notice by all; not that the infamous Stark Girls rivalry was a secret. Arya knew the reasons, but she didn't have to like them.

Hugging her a little too tight Sansa softly whispered in Arya ear. "Play a long Arya! I need this and Mom's watching!"

True to her word Catelyn Stark had made an appearance at the refreshment table, representing the Teacher Parent-Committee and was watching her daughters like a hawk, but Arya did not liked to be a pawn!

Slowly disentangling from her sister's arm, she spoke very softly still aware of their mother ever watchful eyes. Arya smiled at her sister with a glowing smile on her face. A look she had perfected over the years.

"Walk away Sansa." Her voice whispered into her sister's ear.

"I'm sorry did you not hear me?" Was Sansa's quick replay, obviously about to dismiss her sister as a stream of students walked past.

"I said walk away! I won't be a parrot that goes from classroom to classroom saying how amazing Sansa Stark is! I don't like to lie so let them figure it out by themselves what a horrible person you are! You already have your dumb friends to do your dirty work so leave me out of this." Arya hissed as her sister held her tighter.

"You will pay for this Arya!" Sansa seethed in her ear.

"Seriously? What are you gonna do? Not talk to me? Give me the cold shoulder? I got two letters for you Sans; F and U!" Walking down from the bleachers, Arya turned to a very furious Sansa and shouted for all the assembled to hear. "You my darling sister are the best candidate for Winter Queen. Cold is definitely your season!"

Arya was done! She didn't care why Principal Forel had asked her to stay for the College Fair, but she was fed up and ready to go to work with her father; she just needed to find Edric. She stormed to the exit of the gym. Her hand was on the push bar out.

"A feisty young girl, not a clue of politics but I definitely see the potential. You are one who could do great things. We could use a girl, such as you." A voice came from the darkest corner of the gym.

Standing beside a wooden stand with no sign above it stood a man in his early or mid-thirties; or was it twenties? Arya couldn't figure which. He is tall, fit and muscled; not in a menacing way, but you could see that he worked out! He was wearing a suit and tie but you could tell that he was laid back, mainly because he had long hair, red and white long hair to be exact.

"I'm sorry, are you talking to me?" Arya demanded still angry at her mother and sister for trying to use her.

"Of course I am! Do you see anybody else around?" The mystery man asked.

Looking around her Arya suddenly noticed that beside the fact that they were in a gym filled with people they were quite secluded from everyone. Anyone who wanted to hear them would definitely have to make their presence clear. They were a little bit behind the bleachers near the emergency exits. The man made Arya feel uncomfortable, like he knew something and was mocking her about it, which made her go in defense mode.

"Who the hell are you to talk about politics and my potential? You don't know me and it's rude to eavesdrop on other people's private conversations." She said, crossing her arms with a defiant stance. She was not sure quite about this man; intrigued to be sure, but weary of him all at the same time.

"First of all I wasn't eavesdropping; you practically scream with your body every emotion, every word you said. Do not try and say that you and your sister weren't talking politics. Second I am actually a very good person when it comes to measuring potentials." The Strange Man said, mirroring her stance.

"You get that from at looking at my body? Isn't easier to, I don't know, actually talk with me? You might learn that I am probably a very qualified person to whatever the hell you are talking about!" Arya was intrigued and that was never a good thing.

"I am a multitasker Miss Stark, I can do various things while watching your body." He looked her up and down, then scanned the room. "For example your sister is across the room with a gaggle of girls right now getting praise for talking to you, while your mother just said "Sansa is my shining girl" to a member of the faculty. I got all that while I was looking at your body." He smiled at her.

What the hell! Was this stranger checking her out? Clearly embarrassed and with no snappy comeback Arya chose diversion as her best tactic to change the subject.

"Is that your school's stand?" She felt like an idiot asking. "Because if it is it's obvious that you're not gonna get many applications! You can barely see it back here!"

"Maybe I don't want to be seen, maybe I came here only to be found by a specific someone" He countered like a master.

Arya dared to look back at the man who was in turn looking straight back at her with lust, annoyance and laughter? Arya didn't know, but she just couldn't get away, not without knowing who he was! She ran her hands against the wood of the small table and putting some distance between.

Arya took a breath then she asked, "So have you meet that person yet?"

She risked a side glance at the stranger who still was watching her every move, like a cat with a mouse. He was playing with her.

"Maybe, a man must be convinced before making a move." He even spoke like the feline he took after, there was a purr to this man's voice that speed her pulse.

"And does this man have a name since he obviously knows mine"? _Whoa_, she thought,_ am I flirting back with him?_

"It's difficult not to know you, since I came from very far just to meet you Lady Arya." He watched her face intently.

_What the fuck! What kind of answer was that?_ She focused on not what he was saying, but how he spoke. Arya was good at accents but she couldn't place where he was from and he was being ridiculously vague. Again she failed to notice that the stranger had closed the space between then and was standing very near her but Arya Stark wasn't someone to be intimidated.

"Very far? To meet me? Well I hope you're satisfied with what you have in front of you, because I have to correct you by saying that I am no lady!" She seethed. If anything could set her off it was being called a Lady!

With a smile that Arya couldn't decide if it was meant to make her fall in love with him or if it scared the shit out of her he looked down at her and said, "A man is pleased that he found many types of people in a girl who could rule the world if she learned the right things."

_He came here to see me, is standing in front of a shitty college stand and has a weird accent! Focus Arya! Stop looking at his mouth! He must be a college representative, which is why Forel wanted you here._

"So if you know me you must know my age, then you must know that I'm not graduating till two more years! And tone down the charm. It is creepy to flirt with such a young girl. You could be arrested." She meant to shock him. Instead it made his smile deeper.

"Ahhh yes, age is just a number my dear girl! You would be amazed how much a girl could evolve if she lost all normal conventions of age, class and gender. And she must also know that I am not the only one here who came to see her." He let that hang between them. Heat flooded her. So he was flirting! She knew it!

"Well if that if true; maybe a man should learn how to read my body language better since I'm only interested in knowing more about him, not his personal interests!" _Take that strange Mystery Man!_

"Well it is settled!" said the man with a triumphant smile.

"I'm sorry? What?" Arya asked, very confused at what she just agreed to. What the hell was happening?

"We will meet again Lady Stark, I am looking forward to studying your body. And exploring your potential." He turned and walked out the door.

_What the fuck just happened?_ Still standing in front of the abandoned college stand Arya saw Principal Forel walking strait to her with a very angry looking Edric trailing behind, but far enough back not to get in the teachers way. Arya composed herself. She did not want to appear at a complete loss in front of them.

"Ahhh, there you are my child! I see that you meet my friend Jaqen! He is quite impressive, is he not?" Asked Principal Forel giving her a loving pat on Arya's head.

"Wait that was his name?" Arya tried not to sound eager for information.

"Yes! Jaqen H'ghar! He's an old friend who was interested in meeting you. I arranged for him to have a booth here today." He was so pleased with himself and her.

"A college representative? Principal Forel I'm not graduating! You should focus on the seniors! Not me!" Arya was stunned he had gone to all this trouble just for her.

Laughing Forel replied, "It always amazes me how clueless you are Arya Stark about your potential."

_Potential! There's that word again! Jaqen used that word! What kind of name is Jaqen?_ Walking through the stands Forel kept talking.

"Just because you are not of age does not mean people have not notice you! Nationally ranked fencer, top of her class and daughter of one of the most influential men in Westeros. My dear child even without your last name you are still the most sought out of your siblings. You have no idea how many schools have asked for you! I wanted you to come here and see all your options, though I'm glad that is was our now mutual friend Jaqen that peaked your interest first!"

"Where is he from anyway? I didn't catch his alma mater." Edric asked. He had finally caught up with them and had heard enough of the conversation to know what was going on. He had tons brochures in his hands so he knew every single college attending the fair.

"Ahh, yes! Did he say where he was from Arya?" Forel asked her. He was pleased about something Arya couldn't understand.

"No, not at all! He only said that he was looking forward to 'talking' again," said Arya, trying to turn her thoughts away from how Jaqen H'ghar emphasized 'her body' in his remarks.

"Fantastic! That means that he liked you as I knew he would. You can stay here Arya, I'll be happy to present any of the representatives that have asked for you, but I am not ashamed to say that it is Jaqen and who he represents are the perfect fit for you! You are also free to leave to the gravesite." He waited for her response, still smiling at her.

"Thanks' Mister Forel, but I think I'll go with the gravesite. Thank you for arranging the meeting with your friend. It was very educational," she said shaking his hand. He left her with Edric and they immediately walked across the gym to freedom.

Arya was just about to reach the gym's doors when she heard her mother.

"And where do you think you are going young Lady?" Catelyn demanded.

"Hello Mommy Dearest!" Arya tried not to sound angry at being so close to freedom, only to have her mother take it all away. So typical!

"Arya Lyanna Stark do not mock me! I saw you ignoring your sister! How dare you not try to help her to win the pageant! And now you are sneaking off? That is simply unacceptable!" She had a smile plastered on her face as she reprimanded her daughter in public.

"I'm sorry," said Edric clearing his throat, "we haven't met! My name is Edric. Edric Dayne. We are not skipping school! We have your husband's permission as well as Principal Forel to leave. You see; your daughter and I decided to spend day the working at a nearby gravesite. I don't know if you're aware that Dayne Conglomerate; my family's business has just signed an extended contract with Starks Industries, did you?"

_Oh way to go Eddie!_ He saved her from an angry screaming match between her and her mother!

"Oh me? No, not at all I don't pry on my husband's affairs."_ Now that's a load of BS._ "Please call me Catelyn! Arya didn't tell me she was going with you to work at the site!" Her mother's smile couldn't have been bigger.

"That's because you barely let me talk mother." She replied in her sweetest voice.

Not wanting to be in the middle of a fight Edric nicely and with a very practiced 'look at me, I'm a good rich boy' look spoke to win her mother even more, "You see Catelyn that I am to inherit the whole conglomerate someday. So I'd like to see what the work is from every stage, and who better to show me around Winterfell than your lovely daughter?"

Arya thought Ed was laying it on pretty thick, but her mom was eating it up.

"Oh, yes! Arya loves working with her father. You two make to make a perfect match! Go along! Don't let me get in your way." Her mother even blushed as she spoke.

"Thank you! It was a pleasure meeting you Catelyn! Arya? Shall we leave?" Edric held out his arm and she took it.

"Of course Edric, goodbye mother," said Arya to a very near death of happy Caitlyn, whom she was sure was thinking about wedding dresses in her head.

They walked out of the gym. Arya wanted to whoop with joy. She had not had an epic fight with her mother! She got to leave early and go out on a dig. Life was good. Getting into the vehicle that was waiting for them in the parking lot Arya couldn't hold her tongue any longer.

"Edric did you just charmed my mother with your last name?" She giggled a little.

Smirking he said, "It's not all bad in having a wealthy family Arya, and besides, I'll charm anyone's pants off if I get to spend some time with you." And with that they left school!

Edric was thinking about spending the whole day with Arya, and Arya thinking about a man. Jaqen H'ghar and everything he had offered.


	8. Sleepovers and Road Trips

The day was long, hot and dirty. Arya was happy as a duck!

They got to the site and Arya sprang into action. First thing she did was have a quick talk with all the men on the crew. She was well known on the digs and she had known from an early age the best way to be able to keep being allowed on digs was to get the men to like her. She had them laughing at her impression of her mother at a site, tiptoeing all over the muddy landscape. After the jokes were made she got everyone to work.

Arya along with Edric and the rest of the Stark crew members had spent all day deep in The Godswood searching for dire wolf fossils. To say that Arya was in heaven was an overstatement.

She loved archaeology! To know where things came from, how they evolved over the years was fascinating. She loved the challenge of doing proper research in order to explore the earth, or as Robb put it 'hoping to find something that no one has seen in zillion of years while playing in the mud'. Robb was to succeed their father as head of the company, but everybody knew that he would run the company from the coziness of the HQ offices, not in the field like his father.

Ned had always tried to get all his children interested in the family business. From a young age, and despite Eddard's protest's Jon said that he did not want a handpicked job in the company. That whatever he wanted to do he was going to get it by his own means, since then he had ignored everything to do with the company. Sansa hated dirt. Bran loved the book side of the business, but that's all. As for Rickon, he was interested, but much too young to do much of any help. It was Arya who loved and wanted to continue her father's work. Be a hands on boss as well as learn the ins and outs of everything they did. So that's just what Arya had done. Robb might be the one who would take over, but if truth be told he didn't want anything to do with the business thinking he had more important things to do with his life until he was needed.

It wasn't until 3 in the afternoon that they stopped working for their lunch break. As the men filed over to the trucks for their food Edric had arranged. Arya lead the way to her favorite spot in the woods. Leave it to Edric Dayne to cater a large meal for the entire staff but still manage to pull out of nowhere a large picnic basket complete with a blanket.

They were sitting peacefully in silence eating their late lunch at Eddard's favorite Weirwood tree. Arya was content and happy. This was the life for her. She had dirt caked under her nails and smeared on her forehead, but she couldn't care less. It was all so perfect.

"You know, this is my father's favorite spot! It's not easy finding this tree! You have to know your way around the Godswood pretty good to not get lost!" Arya said as she looked into the massive canopy above her head.

"That's a relief! I thought you were luring me away from the others just so you could have your way with me." Ed joked.

"Have my way with you? My way?" Arya demanded, looking straight into Edric's eyes who showed nothing but fear thinking he step over her boundaries. "Geez Edric! What period novel did you pop out off?" She threw her head back and gave a full throated laugh.

"Hey! A guy can hope can't he?" Edric replied in a light tone.

"Of course Dayne! Hope is never lost. I mean think of what we are doing here today. We are making hope for the future!" Arya said, tossing a wadded up napkin at him.

After a small period of silence it was Edric's turn to break the silence that followed.

"Arya? What did that man tell you back at school really want? You know, Principal Forel's friend." He tried to make the question sound as if he wasn't interested, but she knew better.

"That Jaqen guy? Nothing really. I felt like I was being interviewed for something big, but never mind. College isn't something that's on my mind, not now at least." She acted all cool, but the event had really shaken her.

"Hum, that's interesting!" Edric said, more to himself than to Arya, but quickly added; "but you're sure that was all? I mean he seemed quite interested in you."

"Really? I don't really notice nor care Ed! He didn't even tell me what University he represented, if anything I guess he was only humoring Forel." Arya said wanting to put the topic to rest. Because contrary to what she was saying she would give her right eye to know more about Jaqen H'ghar and the things he offered.

"I'm sorry! It just seemed you liked his attention, that's all." Ed huffed at her. He was worked up over something and she had no clue about what it was.

"Edric I talked to the guy for fifteen minutes, I am certainly not planning my wedding day." She told him while inside she was thinking she would definitely settle for a dark night in a room somewhere.

"Good," Edric said. He sounded so relieved.

"Great!" replied Arya thinking that the subject was over. She was wrong.

"It's just that you didn't see how he was looking at you! Is it because you didn't care or because, I don't know, just forget it." He was flustered. She could tell he wanted to say more, but he didn't.

"Now listen to me Edric Dayne! If you have something to say just say it! I'm not going to sit here and guess all day just because you brought me lemon cakes. I'm not a fucking mind reader. Just spit it out some can go back to having an amazing day!" Arya was getting fed up with him and the way he tiptoed around everything.

Sighing Edric looked into Arya's eyes. Ne took a moment to get her his thoughts before he spoke.

"You're beautiful!" he blurted out. "More than beautiful, because you have no idea how beautiful you are! You're smart, kind, funny, and sexy as hell and I just find it just about impossible that someone like you is single! So if you didn't see that creep all over you I want to know if it's because you didn't care or it's because there's someone else." He had finally said it.

Wow! That was fast! I knew that Edric liked me but for God's sake it hasn't even been a month. Arya thought as she sat there looking at him like some dumb girl. She wanted to tell him he was being stupid, pardoned even, but she couldn't, could she. There was always that presence in her life, and no matter how she tried to deny it it was always there, below the surface. She opened her mouth, closed it and opened it again to speak, but nothing came out. She just sat there like an idiot.

"I'm sorry Arya, I shouldn't have talked to you like that! It was wrong of me and completely out of place." As Edric was getting up from their picnic blanket Arya; still sitting on the ground quickly reached for his hand.

"Edric please don't go!" Arya finally spoke. It was all she could say! Because suddenly she felt for Edric! Not in the way he was feeling for her. She felt sad because she saw herself in Edric. A lonely soul, reaching out to a girl who didn't like him. Just like she was a lonely girl who wanted nothing more than for a boy to like her.

Well I wanted my mind off of Jaqen, she thought, but that didn't mean to go to its usual Gendry sad-depressed state. He looked down at her with raw sadness and longing in his eyes. There was more he wanted to say, more she should have said. Neither of them spoke. He squeezed her hand and tried to walk away, but she wouldn't let go. She had to say something!

Arya was more then confused. A stare she was now becoming used to. She decided to use her mother's advice and channel it into something good, and that's just what she did. She was always good at solving problems and so she set her mind to work at this one.

Arya was always on fast mode, a human energizer bunny! But the last couple of months she felt drained! She was her normal self but she wanted and needed something she never had experienced. She used to mock Sansa's 'boy crazy state of mind'; always the center of attention, with clothes two sizes to short, where you had to put on pierrot face make-up. It was amazing how little she knew about boys when she had spent the first 16 years of her life surrounded by men. After everything she had observed in the last week she didn't know how to make Gendry fall in love with her when she knew everything about him!

Her parents had always told her that what matters in a person is what's inside them, not how they looked, but that obviously was not the case in real life! She was smart, very smart. But boys wanted girls who would just stand there, listen and agree! Arya was driven, but boys only thought of her as a self-entitled spoiled brat and her looks? Well, that's the main problem isn't it?

Her little experiment had proven that. Since that first day of doing her hair and make-up different she had stuck to it, all in the hope of looking at life differently. It had just proven her point! People treated her different. They talked to her, acted like she was their friend. But it wasn't until she changed, and it wasn't like she changed that much. Her clothes had remained the same, her personality, but she was treated different, because she looked better!

She was just as awkward, just as skinny, pasty and little! She was still the same Arya everyone picked on! Who could forget the last Christmas dinner when a drunken Robert Baratheon looked at her and started screaming that she had dead eyes! Eyes of dead woman! Jeez, he had to be put down to sleep after that night! It was obvious to her that Edric only felt that way because he basically didn't know anyone at school, and because she looked like one of those idiot girls she hated. He was new and he had only hung out with her, He'd dump her for some other kid more popular or a pretty girl just like Gendry did, sooner or later too.

Tugging at Edric's hand so he would sit beside her again she tried to tell him the truth of what she was feeling.

"Edric not knowing exactly where you want to go with this conversation I just want you to know that dating isn't something that occupies my life and that I don't like anyone in that way, let alone a supposed university representative who I talked to for 5 minutes. I have issues, and not with guys, but with everything. I know you may think I'm beautiful, but that's because all you have seen is this different me. I don't act like normal girls and I never will. Now would you please just stop bringing it up and enjoy the day? Because I really have to admit it; you have been a good partner Dayne. I have valued your friendship more than I can say or show. So can we just go back to work and leave the issue alone now?" She said there exposed in a way she was not used to being. The only person she had ever shown this much of herself to had betrayed her. She hoped to hell Edric saw what she was doing and gave her another chance.

Clearly thinking about what she just said Edric stood silent for a couple of minutes before sitting beside her with a smile on his face. She let put the breath she had not realized she had been holding.

"I'm sorry Arya You're right, let just forget about it and finish our lunch." He said.

His understanding was more than she deserved. How had she ever thought she deserved. Arya was not a girl to show her emotions, but Edric's understanding meant the world to her.

Grabbing two plastic cup's full of soda he handed one to Arya. He was going to toast, so Arya banished the tears and sat, ready.

"Here's a toast for an awesome day at work and the start of another great partnership between a Stark and a Dayne, just has you said earlier _hope is never lost_. We work to the future!" He smiled at her and held his cup out to hers.

"God, you're a dork Ed." She clinked her cup to his and they both drank deep. They finished their lunch laughing and happy.

**...**

It was passed 8pm when Arya came home from the gravesite completely covered in mud. She had invited Edric to come inside, but he past on the offer, the boy was worn out. Arya suspected he was going to pass on her next offer of going on a dig with her. She fully suspected he had thought they would be strutting around supervising, not in the trenches digging. They said their weary good byes and she made it to the front door.

Surprisingly she wasn't tired; all she needed was a good meal and a bath! She really wanted a nice, long hot shower and whatever the leftovers were in the fridge. Arya had been shocked that her parents had left her in the field so long. Mother always called her an hour before family dinner to get cleaned and dressed. She chalked it up to having Ed with her. When she entered the house didn't see anyone milling around so she assumed they were all huddled up in their bedrooms. She skipped her way to her room, high from the success of the day. They had found three entire skeletal remains of the dire wolves, a mother and two pups. She suspected there would be more on the grounds, but the light had faded and so she had called it a day. Opening the door for her room she was found Nymeria sprawled on her bed. But that wasn't the reason she was stopped dead in her tracks. Her faithful companion was being patted by Gendry, who also was spiraled on her bed like he belonged there. He most certainly did not!

"Hi," he said, just casually lying there. Music was floating from her IPod dock. Hozier Like Real People Do flowed. She loved this song and as she looked at him she wanted to do as the song said and press her lips on his and kiss like real people do.

"Hey?" She made the word a question. Gendry Waters had successfully ignored her for the past year and now he was on her bed looking gorgeous as ever. All she had said was 'Hey'. And to make matters worse she looked like an extra in Swamp People.

"You're covered in mud and when you opened the door you looked happy. I take it that it was a successful day at the office?" He continued to scratch Nymeria, they were both content to be together. Her wolf swung up her eyes and the look clearly said Arya was an idiot.

"Yup." She crossed her arms under her breasts.

"Too tired to form a complete sentence?" He smirked

"Yup." She wasn't too tired, but Gendry was finally talking to her, after such a long time. She didn't know how not it mess up. She had so much she wanted to say, both good and mad! She wished she was one of those girls that just giggled and played with her hair while talking to a boy. Sadly her laugh could be heard for miles away and she didn't have any clean hair to play with.

Sporting his 'thinking face' that Gendry wore when he was trying to solve something bothering him made him sai up slow. The cutest wrinkle appeared between his eyes; Gendry sighed and rubbed the back of his head like he did whenever he told Arya something he had chewed over in his head a hundred times. Arya saw he had decided something.

"Nymeria get off the bed girl." The wolf hopped down and walked out of the door. "You," he pointed at her, "come here."

Arya was rotted to her spot on the door. She just looked at the man in front of her thinking to herself. Well I must be tired! Hell I'm already asleep since I'm dreaming that Gendry wants me in bed.

Seeing that Arya was not moving, Gendry got off her bed had walked straight towards her, held her hand and immediately walked to the bed again. Her foot falls were heavy as he drew her back with him. He sat on the bed still holding her hand while Arya stood before him. He gave her a hesitant smile. His thumb played on the back of her hand. He closed his eyes and bowed his head. When he looked up she was mesmerized by how blue his eyes were.

"Look Arya I haven't been a good friend, I knew that and that makes me the stupidest guy ever, in all the world. I know that! I've been thinking about everything for a while now and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I have been neglecting the one person who ever truly mattered to me. Finishing school and hanging out with your brothers just consumed my time and that is no excuse because if I should make time for someone it should be you, not them. We have been a good pair since I got here and I've abandoned that. I shouldn't have let them take me away. At the start it was all just a cool way to pass the time while you were busy and then it became stupid. I'm stupid. I'm sorry. I miss you and I have been trying to talk to you for weeks now. But you spend every waking hour with that Edric kid, hell your cell line is always busy when I call. I guess I got jealous."

He was looking straight into her eyes and holding her by her hips. His fingers felt like raw flames against her body. Gendry pulled Arya closer to him so she was now standing between his legs. She had been waiting for this for so long, she wanted to speak, but he wasn't finished yet.

"What I'm trying to say is that I miss being with you. Talking, laughing even fighting with you. I know you're pissed since you avoid me like the plague but I'm asking you if you can forgive me and be normal friends again. I want you back, with me, where you belong. Please come back to me. I'm just a big stupid bull of a boy, asking the most amazing friend I have ever had to stop being mad at me."

It was what she wanted to hear him say for months. It wasn't the way she had pictured it to happen. She covered in mud but Arya didn't care. She hardly heard anything Gendry had said after he said he was the stupidest guy in the world. All she could focus was on his hands. His big and strong hands around her hips. How still sitting he towered her in height, how he was always so warm and his eyes, God she loved his eyes, those blue colored gems that where looking straight at her, into her very soul.

Forgetting about everything but them Arya lifted one hand and put it in Gendry's shoulder while with her other hand she caressed his hair, something she wanted to do since it had gotten so long. It was such a simple act yet it felt so intimate, it was strange considering they were used to being alone with each other. Gendry's eyes never left hers and Arya realized that in fact they seemed to change color, right now they were a mix between blue and purple, and when he drew breath they were grey like an angry sea. She could watch his eyes all day long and never grow tired of it. Letting herself go she leaned down giving Gendry a hug. She hugged him like it was their first embrace. Like their lives depended on this embrace. Gendry, for his part held her to him. They stood there holding each other for the longest moment in her life.

"So I guess this means we're good? Or choking people to death is a new hobby of yours I don't know about?" Gendry asked Arya who lifted her head from his shoulders and looked into the mirror window which was showing her with her arms around his neck and straddling him on her bed. She didn't remember getting on her bed, on his lap, but quite frankly she didn't care!

"Shut up Stupid Bull, you're the one who came here with the sappy speech" She smiled into his eyes.

"Ahhh but it worked didn't it?" Quickly replied Gendry with a smug smile on his face.

"Of course it did. I never tire of hearing you say you're stupid. It always makes me happy." She said, watching his eyes change to sapphire with happiness.

"Well I'm glad. I like making my little wolf happy." Arya hated nicknames, the only one who got away with that was her father but hearing Gendry call her 'his' was something out of this world.

Again they both fell silent, and this time it was Gendry who moved. Still grabbing her by her hip with one hand Gendry found himself moving her hair out of her face so he could see her grey eyes. Arya was suddenly very conscious about her body and how Gendry was now gently drawing imaginary patters on her hip and lower back. She loved how it felt and found herself suppressing a moan. For a man with such big hands he had a delicate touch. It felt so good, to good, which was the problem.

Arya decided she wasn't going to push her luck and got off of Gendry before he could see the blushing festival that was happening on her face. He stepped back from him, still standing with in touching distance.

"I want to take my clothes off." Arya said to Gendry who almost fell to the floor. "I mean I have to take my clothes off, I need to change, take a shower." Its official, she was high on Gendry! But from the look on his face he was hooked on her as well. He recovered quickly.

"I mean look at you, you have mud all over your clothes. We both have to change for dinner, right." Gendry said getting up from the bed, so very close to her. He had an odd expression on his face she couldn't read.

"Uhmm yeah, that's right. Dinner." She breathed in his scent and almost asked him to join her.

"Since I'm all dirty I'm gonna take Nymeria for a walk. I'll ask Jon for some clothes when I get back." He edged past her, not touching her. He was fighting something inside, but that was his fight, she had her own.

"Sure. Thanks for taking her on a walk. See you downstairs." Arya said to Gendry. He left her room faster than her wolf had earlier.

She stood there for a few more moments not sure about what she should do. The phrase ''hot and bothered' never had a better meaning than right now. Arya was sweating but felt goose bumps all over her skin. She was hot as if every inch of her body was on fire, but her body was shivering as well. She felt a strange sensation in her lower stomach she was not used to. She had to get clean, she had a dinner to go to. She ran into the bathroom, pulled off her clothes and turned the shower on full blast.

It felt like heaven, the hot water cascading over. Just like touching Gendry had felt like heaven. Arya was a virgin in every aspect, she had never been with a guy, and she had not even had a first kiss. She even thought it was a good idea to wait until she was at least legal age to have sex with someone. Yet there she was in the shower thinking about Gendry's hands.

She thought about how amazing they felt on her back and how she would love to feel them all over her body as she scrubbed the caked on mud off her legs. Gendry had big hands that could easily run over all of her in seconds. The thought thrilled her. Grabbing more soap she began to wash the mud off her arms but didn't stop thinking about Gendry. Particularly how he would come home from working at his uncle car shop all covered in grease, she would love to wash his back clean, run her hands over his arms, move to his shoulders and turn to washing his hair. Just touching his hair was the tip of the iceberg. She would work from the top and make it all the way to the bottom, missing nothing in between.

She lost track of time so when Robb pounded on her door she snapped out of her dream state that was right in the middle of imagining Gendry getting into the shower with her. She turned off the now cold water and walked out of the bathroom. Putting on her usual attire that meant something old of Gendry's; this time it was a t-shirt with the Nintendo logo and some to short shorts, she ran down the stairs only to find the entire stairwell occupied with all of her siblings; wolves included and a fresh bathed Gendry while her mother and father stood over the main door with suitcases.

"Now children," Eddard started to talk now that Arya was there, "we have to leave immediately to Storm's End."

"What happened Dad? Is Joffrey's father ok?" Sansa asked sweetly, but not caring a rat's ass for Robert, more for her precious blonde boyfriend.

"Everything's ok," said Catelyn with a face that meant Robert was being Robert and they had to go and babysit him. The children knew this look and so did their father. Giving his wife a stern look Eddard continued to talk to his children.

"We have to leave for an improvised get together with the company." He said sharply, yet another code word for 'Robert's on a binge and we have to sober him up before he fucks everything up.' "This is the plan: we leave tonight and we'll fly back on Sunday. So I hope each and every one of you behaves your best while your mother and I are out. That means taking care of the wolves, cleaning the house, doing your homework and..."

"NOT LETTING THEON INSIDE THE MANOR!" Said Catelyn, still mad about the last time Eddard and her left the children alone. Theon threw an intimate party that left the house looking like a war zone after. They had all been in trouble fort that one.

"Yes, I agree with your mother on Theon, he is not welcome. We are taking Rickon with us since he's too little to be left alone." Eddard was going to continue with the rules when his youngest interrupted him.

"I'm not little!" yelled Rickon, clearly not wanting to go with his parents.

"Of course not big man," said Jon to the youngest Stark whispering in his ear; "Catelyn just wants you to go with her so she can feel safe, so you can protect her from Cercei. You know how that lady acts. It's your duty to protect your mother." Jon looked over at Catelyn and she looked grateful to Jon. It was an expression she never wore when Jon was concerned. It was a great moment, until Sansa spoiled it.

"Dad? Joff can still come over right? He's helping me with the Winter Queen campaign. We have a ton of things to do. He is my biggest supporter. I need him here to win." Sansa was hoping her mother would allow it if it was dance related.

"I'm sorry Sansa but I don't feel good letting Joffrey into the house without us being here. In fact I would appreciate it if you sticked together for the weekend inside the house." Eddard watched his daughters face fall.

"But Dad, that's so unfair! I have tons of things to do for the dance and Mom won't be here! I need the extra help. Besides Joffrey is like family! I'm dating him, come on! You let Gendry stay here." She turned her chin in the boy in question, who stood stock still.

"Gendry isn't dating anyone here. And he is family," muttered Robb he clearly was not on #teamjoffrey.

"Well that doesn't stop him from going in and out of Arya's room whenever he pleases!" spat Sansa.

"Wow! Time out! I'm not doing anything with Arya!" Said Gendry, who was redder than Sansa hair.

"Clearly! And if we were? We wouldn't be as noisy as you and Joffery. So no one would ever hear. Gods the walls aren't sound proof sis." Said Arya directly looking at Sansa, the war was still at full force with these two.

"Please Girls, be nice!" Ned yelled, obviously trying to downplay Arya's statement about her sister's activities with her boyfriend; whom he hated by the way, but had to play along, because Sansa adored him and he was Robert's son.

"Sansa, the campaign for the crown is not important because, my dear, you are beautiful and I'm sure you'll win no matter what. As for Gendry, he is practically family. And family doesn't betray each other's trust." Edward said looking directly into Arya's eyes with a far too knowing look.

"Now we must be going, come hug us so we can leave on time!" Catelyn hurried to fill the growing silence.

With hugs and kisses to all, getting into the car Eddard and his wife again reminded their children the rules:

**1) Stick together**

**2) Joffrey OUT**

**3) Theon on a restraining order. Call the cops if he shows his face!**

**4) Be nice to each other and help each other, no matter what**

Watching as their parent's car vanished into the night; Robb closed to door. He looked excited and boomed to them all in a kingly voice. "15 minutes. Everyone. Kitchen!"

Then he went into his room with his phone in one hand and dragging Jon with the other. Sansa stormed to her room and Bran casually went to the library for some light reading. Arya and Gendry were left alone and yes, she was still thinking of him, naked, in the shower.

"I guess dinner up to us," Arya said into the silence.

"Yeah, do you want to cook or should I?" Gendry asked knowing very well that Arya barely knew how to serve a glass of water.

"Shut up Bullhead! I'll order takeout and you pay!" said Arya as she walked into the kitchen.

"What? You eat more than Hot pie! No way am I paying for your dinner." He followed her to the kitchen where the takeout menus were stored.

"I thought you said you liked making me happy?" Arya purred, looking at Gendry strait into his eyes just like she did in her room making the atmosphere in the kitchen change into something else in seconds.

"I'll get you dinner. Everyone else is on your dads' card." He looked hungry, but not for food. She was pleased she could make him look like that.

"Deal. Chinese for us and pizza for the rest." Arya went to work making the orders and in twenty minutes the food was delivered. The others bitched about why Arya and Gendry had amazing smelling and looking Chinese and they got pizza.

"If you wanted different you could have ordered yourself. Since you didn't you're stuck with what you get!" Arya had snapped at Jon and Bran as they tried to take one of her shrimps in sweet and sour sauce.

"Oooooook people, Papa's here, gather around!" Robb said entering the kitchen with a smile on his face. Jon went all serious, he knew Robb's plan, but didn't like it.

"Branflakes! Do as your sister says, eat the pizza. Sansa! Get your ass in here! The king commands you!" Robb bellowed.

"The king? Who died and made you King?" Arya asked, climbing on a to kitchen stool, guarding her feast like a dragon guards its treasure. She planned on eating it all.

"I'm the heir, Dad's not here, ergo... KING OF THE NORTH!" He shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

"Well you only go into King Mode when you're drunk or about to do something stupid; so spill, what's on your mind?" asked Bran, ruefully eating his now cold pizza.

"Well I my dear sweet brother have the perfect, ahh thank you Sansa for joining us. As I was saying I have the perfect solution to slightly go around Dad's rules and still not break them." He smiled smugly at them all. Very pleased with himself.

"I'm interested,"- said Sansa with pizza half want to her mouth. "Speak!"

"Well basically the bottom line is that we have to stay together and Theon and Joffrey can't come into the house, right?" Arya and Bran looked at each other; it was a 50-50 situation with Robb's schemes; pure brilliance or massive bloodshed was always the outcome. "So here's the deal! There's a massive rave tomorrow in Castamere and we are going because A) we'll stick together and B) Theon and Joffrey aren't inside the house and we can still hang out with them. And C) It will be nice because we won't be cooped up here. What do you all think?"

"Perfect!" Sansa squealed. She was jumping around the room.

"Don't like it." Jon murmured.

"Definitely don't like it." Gendry agreed.

Arya shrugged, she could care less. "Stupid is as stupid does. But I'm not stupid."

"I'm IN!" Bran shouted.

WHAAAAAAAT?! Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked over at him, shocked.

"Well I didn't see that coming." Robb said, who like everyone had never expected Bran to agree on going. He had more discipline than Bran the Builder himself, so this was certainly out of character for their saint brother.

"Look at it logically. It's Friday. Mom and Dad aren't coming back till Sunday afternoon. So that gives a good timetable to go Castamere and make it back. Sansa can see Joffrey under relatively parental supervision and Theon can't trash the house. Besides, it will be good for us. When was the last time we did something together? Other than dinner and rides to school we barely do anything together, so I think this is perfect." Bran said smartly, annoyed that nobody thought he liked to the anything other than read books and climb things.

"Brandon, I couldn't have said it better myself!" Robb said hugging his little brother like he just won a Nobel Prize, not sided with the devil. "Well it's settled! It's late so everybody grab the slices they want, eat fast and go to sleep; we have to get up early to get a head start in the road in the morning." Robb grabbed half the second pizza and started walking out.

"Wow, slow down Robb! Its three votes for each side!" Arya shouted, BBQ chicken on its way to her mouth.

"Actually Arya it's four versus two! Jon's on our side! So that leaves you and Gendry with no other choice than to come with us!" Robb was smug and Jon looked ashamed.

"Jon, what the hell? You said you didn't like the idea!" Exclaimed Arya, she knew Gendry would support her 100%.

"I still don't like it but I kind of have to go so. For my own reasons. So yeah, all hail the King of the North," he saluted with pizza to Robb. He was clearly being coerced to go.

"Done, everybody set your clocks at 6am, feed your wolfies and rendezvous in the garage!" Rob commanded and walked out. Sansa was on cloud nine, still dancing as she texted. Jon was in his grumpy mode and Bran left to sleep, saying this would be a real bonding trip for them all.

"That guy is to run Stark Industries one day," said Arya, sadly and with a trace of bitterness.

"Well, thank the Gods he's pretty, he knows nothing of real work like we do. We'll have to bail his ass out of everything someday," replied Gendry, both of them not liking their little road trip in the morning at all.

"Well we're screwed anyway so we better go to sleep, go to your room, I'll bring up the food. We can eat like god intended us, in peace."

"At last, someone with a good idea!" Arya said as she left the kitchen and headed for the stairs.

She was glad she made it first. She put on music in the background,. She hurried lit her candles, turned off the overhead light and turned on her desk lamp with its dark shade. The room was both illuminated yet still in shadows.

She got rid of her shorts because Gendry old shirt could easily pose as a dress since it reached below her knees and she hated to sleep with anything on her bottom half. She sat on the covers of her bed and waited.

A few minutes passed and Gendry came in with Nymeria tagging along. "Your feast My Lady!"

"The food of the Gods my kind ser, thank you!" She kindly dipped her head and they resolved into laughter. The only time Arya ever played along was when food was involved.

They sat on the bed quietly and Arya was just amazed how in one day everything was back to normal, she had her Gendry back and all was well in the world. They ate and joked and made up for lost time. It was perfect. But all too soon Gendry got up from the bed, grabbing the dishes and instead of putting them on the desk he was walking to the door. When Arya noticed that he was going to leave panic erupted with in her.

"Wait! Where are you going?" She stood looking at one another. For some reason the words of the song were just what was needed. He hung his head.

"I'm going to bed Arya. It's nearly eleven and I suspect my truck is a main vehicle for tomorrow's road trip so I need sleep."

"So what? Sleep here!" She said, Arya did not want him to walk out of her room.

It wasn't odd request. Arya and Gendry had shared a bed before; they slept together all the time! They fell asleep watching movies, playing video games or simply talking. Catelyn had been outraged the first time she found Gendry in her youngest daughter's bed and still didn't like it, but didn't make a big deal out of it as long as they left the door opened. But tonight it was different. For the first time Arya wanted to sleep next to Gendry, not because of his company, but because she craved his touch and wanted him close.

"It's okay. I'll just crash in the guesthouse with Jon." He looked detached and she saw confusion in his eyes.

"Jon's bunking with Robb tonight. They have plans to make, so the guesthouse is closed." His face became unreadable. "Don't be stubborn Gendry, get into the bed. You look more tired than I am, and I spent all day digging. I just want to sleep, honestly."

Seeing that Arya had made up her mind Gendry walked to the door and firmly shut it. He turned back to her and took off his shoes. He walked slowly over to her bed. He looked down at her for a long moment, confusion was all over his face. He was debating with himself but his better, or worse sense won out. He tugged at the covers and Arya scrambled after him. He slid into the bed beside her.

She immediately felt the radiant heat from his body and felt drawled towards him like a moth to a flame. Shaking off the improper thought out of her head she turned to her side of the bed, yes, they had their sides on the bed, and his arm snaked around her. He spooned her from behind, pressing his muscular body to hers. Their legs twisted together, trying to fit on the single bed. They both jiggled closer to each other and as she drift to sleep in his embrace.

Just before Arya was truly asleep she felt Gendry's arm tighten around her. He put his lips close to her ear and softly whispered "I missed this, I've missed you Stark." He placed the softest press of his lips to the hollow between her neck and ear. He sighed and started his deep sleep breathing.

She felt her heart stop in that moment. She scooted closer to him, his front pressed firmly to her butt. She smiled into his arm cradling her head and pressed a smell kiss to his arm.

"I've miss you to Waters. So much." She fell to sleep then, so happy she couldn't believe it.


	9. Sex and the Country

Sleep was the last thing on Arya's mind as she lay in her bed that night. Knowing Robb wanted to get a head start for their trip to Castamere; Arya figured when she finally got some real sleep Robb would come shouting room by room, urging all Starks to get up. So she dozed fitfully. She managed to get two hours total. The party was going to be fun, but that wasn't the only reason Arya couldn't sleep.

At some part of the night she found herself incredibly hot, like she couldn't breathe, only to find herself wrapped up in the arms of Gendry Waters. She had sort of forgot he was there. She was used to Nymeria sleeping on the bed with her, so when she woke up in the night and felt human hands, arms, legs and every other part belonging to a man touching her she was shocked.

At first she went into panic mode; they had slept side by side together before, but she had never felt like this. They used to have a rule; Gendry actually came up with it, he sleeps on top of the covers, and she sleeps under them but they had not done that last night. She was still lying on her side of the bed facing the wall, him spooning close behind her. One of his hands was tucked under Arya's head as if it was a very large but comfy pillow and the other one had found its way under her shirt; resting over her naked stomach. She took a moment to figure out why she had almost nothing on, then she remembered. Earlier she went to bed only with her t-shirt on, she didn't bother for some pants since it covered her to her knees. But at some point in the night the t-shirt had ridden up her waist, leaving her in her underwear, more specifically with her ass directly pressing into Gendry's crotch with only his boxers and her panties separating them.

She wanted to see his face so Arya turned around and was left face to face with Gendry. At the sudden movement she thought he was going to wake up but he only held her tighter and grabbed her ass with one hand and the other he was using as her pillow drew her shoulders close to his chest so her breasts were pressed to him. Arya was surprised but it was something that she didn't mind at all.

_'Does he know it's just me? I mean, he's never touched me liked this before! Well, maybe he is dreaming about Jeyne Poole.'_ Those where thoughts that were running inside Arya's mind a million miles per second, but they were quickly tossed aside when she realized that Gendry was shirtless. It wasn't uncommon for him to not wear one, since Gendry wore very little to sleep usually, but he always managed to keep fully clothed under Stark roof when he was with her. He must have taken it off sometime in the night.

With the early yearning of having Gendry in her head from her early shower still fuming her mind she had to see him. Arya had looked at his chest a dozen times before, but this was different. He was here with her, in her bed. There was something spell binding about him in this moment. She gently raised her top hand and touched his chest. It was hard, wide and she couldn't keep her hands still. She touched his upper arms and loved how his muscles were so defined, she started to trace her hand down his chest and his stomach and as if on cue Gendry hugged her tighter and scooped her leg atop of his hip, so they were pressed close together. He gave a soft moan in his sleep and Arya smiled, she was in 7TH Heaven! But she didn't stop there. Her hand was now resting on his stomach and perfectly sculpted abs. She wanted to feel him, while she had the freedom to do it. She might never get the chance again.

Gendry was strong and Arya could only think of how much she wanted to feel his strength on her. She looked at his face and the small smile on his lips that would appear when ever she touched his skin. She was tracing patterns on his abs when an idea over took her. She wanted to kiss him, just once, before he started ignoring her again. She was going to kiss a piece of him she had always wanted to, so very gently she reached his neck and gave him a kiss. The skin was warm under her lips and she took a deep breath and smelled his very Gendry smell. She feared that he would wake up, because he gave a small moan and pulled her tighter to him. She wanted to get some distance between them, to see his face. But he wouldn't let her go. She went for another small kiss on his neck, just because she could. What Arya was definitely not expecting was Gendry's reaction. Still asleep; Gendry rolled over, placing her flat on her back and buried his head in the crook of her neck. Nuzzling his lips on her skin in a lazy manner. That was when she lost it.

She had never felt like this before, her body was acting ways she did not know, she was hot and cold at the same time, she was trembling and wanted nothing but to kiss Gendry, to feel his hands on her body. So she kissed his neck again making Gendry groan again.

Slowly she ran her hand up and down Gendry arms until they landed on his back, slightly digging her nails into it. This time it was a growl that escaped Gendry's mouth. He still slept but he was an active sleeper. He nuzzled her neck more and his hand found the exposed skin of her flat stomach. God she felt amazing, without realizing what she was doing Arya started to grind herself to Gendry. She was on fire and hot as hell. The more she touched him the more she wanted him. Unconsciously and still asleep Gendry started grinding back to her body; with much more strength he overpowered her, pinning her to the bed. She could feel his erection pressing in to her and she felt her own growing desire. She was wet with it. It felt so good. She was ready to wake him. She was ready to lose her virginity right here, right now, to her own sleeping beauty on steroids. She was reaching up her hand to touch his face, to kiss him awake like the fabled princess when Duran-Duran's Hungry like a Wolf blasted throughout the house.

Gendry opened his eyes to find Arya with her face flushed and hair tangled, she was under him with her t-shirt up to her waist and with no pants on, only underwear. They locked eyes for a moment, then he looked down at their tangled bodies and noticed how close they were.

"Um. Hi?" She asked with a small smile. He started to return it when he realized his hand was brushing the edge of her breast and his dick twitched against her naked thigh. If he didn't notice it before he did now. He had the biggest erection known to mankind raging as it was pressed to her.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" He hollered in shock.

He detached himself from her and fell out of bed just in time. Robb entered the room seconds later.

"Jesus Arya, did you kick Gendry in your sleep again? Bro I don't know why you just don't crash in the couch." Robb muttered as he looked at his friend on the floor so Arya was able to pull down her shirt.

Thankfully Gendry had landed on his stomach so Robb couldn't see how much Gendry _liked_ sleeping with his little sister.

"Asses off of the bed, we leave in an hour people. That means eat, shower and grab party clothes. We have to look good!" He walked out, oblivious to the two people in the room and the way they were acting.

Arya was panting! She was had been so close, but to what? She didn't know but she was close to something when Robb entered. But as soon as she saw Gendry's face she felt like a certified rapist. God, how could she be so stupid? They had just made up and she practically assaulted him. He might have seemed to like it but it didn't count. He had been asleep. She now felt like an idiot.

"Arya... what were you doing, what were we doing?" asked Gendry; shame and terror showed on his face.

_Lie, just lie Stark._ She told herself.

"I was trying to get out of bed but you were blocking my way. Seriously Gendry you hogged all the bed space." She kept her voice light with a hint of annoyance. Her face was blank.

"But I, we, you?" Gendry was so confused that was all he could say.

Poor guy he looked pitiful laying there on his stomach, his face unfocused. But what could she say? 'Yeah I kind of dried humped you while you were asleep!'_ No not an option, lie your ass off Stark, it's too early and it's dark, he can't see my face, he won't know I'm lying._

"You what? Where you having a nightmare? You where growling and sweating like a dog. I was trying to wake you without punching you. But now you're awake, so get dressed. I have to go to the bathroom."

With that Arya stood and walked over him. She made it to the bathroom locked herself in and stood with her back against the door.

She knew she was being stupid, but she had thought he felt what she was feeling. She pushed that thought out of her mind and got ready. Like Robb had said, they had to look good.

**….**

"6 am! 6 hours into the freaking morning. Robb Stark I hate you! Couldn't you have waited half an hour?" She seethed as she got into the shower.

If last night's shower had been bad this one was worse. She had seriously considered losing her virginity to a sleeping Gendry. Her neck still burned where he had trailed kisses while her own lips wanted more from his skin. She felt this heat and this desire as she washed her body. Her hands trailed up and down her stomach and she thought of easing her desires herself. Arya felt stupid touching herself; it was as if only Gendry could make her body come alive. Frustrated beyond measures she went back to washing.

She got out of the shower and slid into her bathrobe, yes she had one. She stood in front of her mirror and started drying her hair with the blow dryer. Once it was dry she went about her new routine of straining her hair, but decided she had done that look enough and took another never before opened box out of her cupboard. It was a curling iron. She read the directions and applied the proper goo and made ringlets. She let them hand in tight curls as she applied make up. Today she was going for another different look.

She used eye liner and shadows. She used classic black liner and a Smokey grey that made her eyes pop. She got it right on the first try, thanks to YouTube videos. She applied the foundation and decided for the moment to use a naked lip color, but grabbed a deep red lipstick for later. Once that was done she combed her fingers in her curls. They made loose waves around her face. Once she was satisfied she walked out into her room.

Gendry was gone and her door was closed. She looked around her room and all traces of him were gone. With an angry spirt of energy she found clothes to wear for the party. She slid into one of the only push up bras she owned and the matching underwear. They were black lace over a nude colored gave the illusion to her only being covered by lace. She slid into a black pair of skinny jeans and a silver tank top. She took a red leather jacket her mother had hated at the store so she had bought it, but never wore. Then she went about finding clothes for the rest of the weekend. She threw them into an overnight bag and left her room, after grabbing a brush and the small bag of makeup.

She found that the company of Robb and his demands were pissing her off so in her famous_ 'Arya stark bad mood'_ she went in the kennel with the wolves. The Stark's wolves were something to behold. Each child had one and because of their size, force and fierce love of their owners it was suspected that they were the last descendants of the Dire wolves, ancient creatures of the north. Arya always found herself at ease when she was with the wolves. Her uncle Benjen once told her that was because she had wolf's blood in her that meant she was a true northerner, wild and made of ice. It was the understatement of the day to say that she did not want to spend a full day trapped in a car with her brother's, sister and Gendry. _Yeah, the guy she tried to rape last night._

"Arya! We're leaving, get your petit ass over here!" shouted Robb into the kennels. No one had seen her as she had hurried down stairs on her way to the wolves. When she emerged from the kennels they all stood looking at her, some with their jaws touching the driveway.

"What is everyone looking at?" She demanded. "Did I grow a third tit or something?" She looked each or her brothers in the eye, avoided Gendry and stopped locking eyes with her sister.

"It's not that," Bran said. "It's just that..." He looked around for help.

"Arya you look nice. I actually like what you did with your hair and the eyes are amazing. As for the outfit, it's something I would wear, except the shoes. The lace up mini heels are not my thing. But over all you are on your way to being stunning." Sansa said.

"Yeah Arya. We knew you were trying out new looks but this one is the biggest transformation yet. Welcome to the major leagues sis. Now everyone load up!" Robb yelled to the group.

Sansa was going to ride with Rob in his car, so that left Jon, Bran and her to ride with Gendry in his truck and as she suspected Gendry was definitely ignoring her when Robb laid down the law.

"Okay!" Robb clapped his hands in excitement. "Did everybody feed the pups and grab their backpacks?" They all nodded, Bran even held up his pack in the air. "Good. There is no time for turning back now. We leave with what we have. It's a full ride to Castamere. I want to get there by 6 to get a good spot. That means no unnecessary stops or coming back for forgotten things. Once we are all in the car we leave. We need to be off the estate in five minutes. Now load up!"

Castamere was a secluded old farm far away from Winterfell so you had to leave early if you wanted to get there in a day's travel. It was owned by The Frey's; another old money family who keep to themselves so nobody really knew much about them only that every now and then they threw the most awesome party in all Westeros. Arya wasn't fond of party's but after yesterday and today's early morning events she wanted to go so she could spent time with Gendry.

She walked over to his truck as Gendry was packing all the bags. Sansa's bag was the largest, he was working on shoving it in as she stood by the wheel. She wanted to keep things light. She put on a soft smile on her face and spoke.

"Hey, I'm sorry if you didn't sleep well last night," she said to Gendry as she handed him her backpack

"It's okay. I think I slept fine. Load up." He said, he didn't even look at her. He finished stowing the bags and she went to slide into the back seat, behind the drivers. Jon rode shotgun while Bran was in the backseat with her as they began their little road trip. Gendry slid in and Robb honked, singling he was ready to go. The big truck rumbled to life and they were on their way.

The trip the Castamere was endless, they had been on the road for seven hours and they still weren't there, only stopping in gas stations for bathroom breaks and checking the tires. The truck was silent, everyone in their own head-space only being interrupted by Gendry's cell phone that didn't stop ringing.

"Gendry do you owe someone money? Just pick up the damn phone!" Jon barked. He was not in a good mood either, to be honest only Bran was the only one to seem happy to go to the rave.

"No, it's not important." Muttered Gendry, gripping the steering wheel. They drove for another five minutes in silence. Then phone started ringing again and it was Bran's time to protest.

"Gendry we all know who it is, pick up the damn phone! Jeyne won't stop calling till she talks to you." Bran's good mood was evaporating. He was getting nervous about something.

"I said it was not important." Gendry yelled over the phone. He wasn't much of a talker so when he raised his voice it could be heard for miles.

They all sunk back like children who had his been reprimand by a parent. Arya was now pissed off. Jeyne was calling. Why didn't she take the hint and leave him alone? He didn't want her. Why couldn't she see that? But Arya knew better than anyone how hard Gendry Waters was to get over.

An awkward silence ruled the truck for a couple of miles, Gendry driving like a mad man, Jon brooding about something and Arya feeling like a slut thinking things better. _'I threw myself at him and he has a girlfriend'_ was all she could think about. Bran was on his phone texting with someone like a madman. He finally lifted his head and looked around at the people around him. Sensing the weird vibe in the truck he decided to speak.

"How do you get a girl to like you?" Bran's voice was soft and afraid.

Well, that was a way to get everybody's attention.

"I knew it! You weren't going to find a library in the middle of the woods. So spill little brother, who is it?" Arya asked to get everyone talking. She wanted to get Gendry and his girlfriend out of her mind, which was not easy since he was looking at her every five minutes trough the review mirror and his phone now vibrating in the cup holder.

"Do not make a big deal about it and please don't tell Sansa and Robb! God bless them but we all know they have all the dramatics of the family. They will make this bigger then it is." Bran blushed while he spoke.

"It ok Brandon, not a word will leave this truck! Tell us who it is and maybe we can help you." Jon used his best fatherly voice, trying to sooth his brother.

"Does it matter? I thought all girls were the same. You all make it seem to make it that way." Bran waved his hand at Jon and Gendry and at Robb's car, clearly looking for answers of a subject foreign for him.

"First of all it's not easy." Gendry said slowly, relaxing in his seat for the first time in all day. "Girls aren't the same Bran. Far from it. Some girls are easier to talk to while others are well? Difficult. You have to know how to treat them. How to show them what you think, what you want. But its not easy. The ones you want are always the hardest to talk to." Gendry said, again looking at Arya trough the mirror. Arya was thinking hard on what he just said, almost as hard as Bran.

Deep in thought Bran decided to go all out. "It's Meera, Jojen's sister. I like Meera." He hurried his face in his hands and didn't look up.

"Thank God it's her. She actually has a brain! I was worried you were going with the direction of everyone else is this vehicle. Bimbos seem to be a favorite." Arya sneered slightly. Why couldn't she stay this morning in bed with Gendry?

"Meera Reed?" Asked Jon. "She's older than you isn't she?"

"You're gonna focus on age? Oh please Jon, age is just a number! Mom is older than Dad and you can't even tell. Go on Bran, how did you get all lovey dove with Katniss Everdeen?" Arya popped in. This was the distraction she needed.

"Well, it's easy! I hang out with Jojen a lot but it's been a while since I saw her. Last year at National's for your fencing tournament I bumped into her, she was competing in archery and well that was it. I love her; I want her to be my wife and the mother of my 2.5 children. We have nothing I common, but that's part of why I like her. She makes me want to try new things." Bran said in a rush as his face turned beet red with a dreamy look on it.

"Whoa there Brandon aren't you a little young to be thinking about all that stuff? Why don't you ask her out first? Then after a while think of the other things." Gendry sputtered. He shot Arya another look in the mirror. He searched her face, but she looked away.

"That's the thing, I can't even talk to her. Whenever I see her I get all sweaty and all I do is smile, I can't even say a word. She must think I'm an idiot. It's easy for you guys since you work out and have dated half of Winterfell, but for me, I'm nothing." Bran looked at Jon and Gendry, willing them to give him advice.

"Well I for one can tell you _that_ is just bullshit. You are the best catch out of the entire lot of these losers." Arya declared into the silent car.

The Reeds were home-schooled but like so many; their father was an old friend of Eddard. Surprisingly it was Arya who knew Meera the most. They were the same age and often bumped into each other in national sport events; Arya being a fencer and Meera a very good archer. Given more time together they would be great friends as they were both into sports, were kind of loners and always ended talking for hours on their down time at competitions. She knew that out of everyone she could help Bran the most.

"Just talk to her. Meera's cool. Just go and tell her point blank what you feel. She's like me, doesn't really care for a big deal to be made, just action. Take Edric for example; he bought me a new sabre, I would have married him right then and there but he got all mushy, started blushing and babbling about feelings and then all I wanted was to stab him. If he had just taken matters head on, who really knows what would have happened." Arya said with a shrug.

"He bought you a sword?" Screamed Gendry, flinching a bit at the wheel.

Arya was about to make a snide comment to him, but Jon cut her off.

"Arya those things cost thousands of dollars." Jon stuttered in shock.

Jeeze maybe she shouldn't mention the autographed cd's, first editions books and the God sent pastries Edric was flying in every two days from Starfall only because she loved how they tasted if this is how they reacted to the news of her new foil. She really wanted to tell them about his other gifts, just to piss off Gendry but her logic took over. It was never a good idea to give the person behind the wheel a stroke.

"First of all; Gendry eyes on the road, I don't want to die just because you can't understand how to treat a woman you like properly and second; the point is that if Edric would just treat me as I am and not a little princess I might actually like him more. It's not the gifts Bran, it those few moment's he's not acting like a girl, when he treats me as his equal that I like. It makes me feel wanted for who I am, I think Meera would appreciate that. That's all you need to do. Don't try to own her, be her partner, like mom and dad. That's all I was trying to say." She started her speech glaring at the front at the idiots sitting there but ended looking Bran in the eyes.

"Wow, I didn't think I was going to end up taking dating advice from you Sis, thanks. I really mean that." Bran took her hand and squeezed it in thanks.

"Back up a little! Are you dating Edric? You didn't tell me anything!" Jon said in a stern voice, clearly going into big brother mode.

"Of course she is, he's spending all his money on her. They're doing projects together. Hell half the school knows they are dating even before her friends and family." Muttered Gendry under his breath, again speeding like a madman.

"I am not dating anyone; okay? It's a little clear that he likes me, so what? He's my friend and I enjoy spending time with him. He actually wants to hang out with me and doesn't leave me for other interests." Seethed Arya. If Gendry wanted a fight, he was going to have it. She was ready for it. His phone took that moment to fill the car with its unholy noise again.

"I apologized yesterday Arya and as I recall it's you who now doesn't give anyone the time of day because you're always with that blonde idiot. Now that is not my fault." He shot back.

"Well that blonde idiot actually has a brain and doesn't think with his dick the whole time!" Arya fired at him.

He turned around in his seat to see her face, making the truck swerve. Bran yelled and Jon took the wheel while Gendry faced off Arya in the back.

"Really? Because on spending half a fortune on you in less than a month I'm pretty sure it's his dick who wants a shot at you, not his brain. Gods Arya are you that stupid?"

"I'm the stupid one? That's rich coming from you. So what's it to you? Are you the only one who gets to have sex? You seem to like it very much with Jeyne, maybe I'll have a shot with Edric, and at least he returns my calls. At least he likes me. Even before... well never mind. You are not gods gift Gendry!" She yelled at his face. His was purple with rage and she knew hers was as well.

He turned away from her, took back the wheel and hit it once, twice, three times. Thank God for seat-belts since Gendry put his foot down to the breaks and was ready to rumble "If that little shit touches you I'll..."

"You'll what Gendry? What's it to you if I sleep with Edric?" She demanded once the truck came to a stop.

"For fuck's sake Arya..."- and he was gone. Gendry opened the door and left the car to walk his anger off, thankfully the road was deserted.

"You know Arya, for someone who just gave some pretty solid dating advice I have to say that firing up Gendry is really stupid," said Bran.

"What's that supposed to mean, he's the one who's been an ass the whole day! The whole fucking year! Why do I have to be the adult when he is supposed to be _older_ and _worldly_. I'm just a kid to you all. Aren't I?" She demanded of her brothers.

"Really Arya, you know better. Gendry has no family, and we practically adopted the guy. He sees you as his little sister. He is just looking out for you." Jon said lamely.

"Little sister my ass." Bran said. He wished he could climb out of this truck. There was just too much anger in the thing.

"Shut up Bran. Gendry is just confused. We don't need to add to it by saying anything else." Jon shot a look at Arya and Bran just shook his head muttering under his breath. Silence descended on the truck.

They let Gendry cool off because they had time to spare, he was speeding so much that they had a good 20 minutes distance from Robb, so they decided to wait and when they continued their trip nobody said a thing till they arrived at Castamere. It was a long ride. Who knew an hour of silence could feel so long.

**…..**

Just as Robb predicted the place was packed!

Tent's and improvised fireplaces were already up all over the large field that the rave was to be held. Arya had never seen so many people in one place for a party. There were people from all over the country.

Everyone had set up their areas based on where they lived. The southerners were clustered together by the part with the most sun. The Riverland group set up next to the creek bisecting the field. The Stormland group was in the out skirts of the group, but they were not on the outside. There were even a group of people from The Wall by the trees. Many others were there scattered around at random. It was an interesting cross section of people.

They were all diverse and fascinating, Arya could have stood in the back of the truck watching everyone but Robb wanted them to find their spot right away before more people came.

They found a place big enough for all of them and their gear near the center of a rave. Theon had saved it for them. He had apparently come up the night before and staked his claim. The way he told it he fought off a horde of people single handed for the prime price of rave ground. Close to the music and the booze. Theon had to be in the center of everything, and that usually meant so did they.

Later a guy was supposed to set up the big tent for music and beer stands next to their area. Arya was sure the family would have to make an appearance when that happened. When they walked into the already established camp Theon waved his arms around.

"Good evening House Stark and Bastard companions!" Theon had clearly been drinking, probably since he woke up. He hugged everyone. "Here is our home away from home. I hope you like it." He waved behind him, indicating a big tent that had a giant wolf; the Stark Industries logo on the sides. Theon and Rob must have stolen it from one of the grave-sites.

"You're kidding right? I'm not sleeping in that! It's on the ground. I wanted a real bed. Robb you had said there would be all the comforts of home here." Quickly added Sansa who obviously was not a girl scout.

"There's room for 10 people inside, hell the wolves could have come. It's only for a night Sans and besides it's going to be an all-nighter. Not like you will be sleeping. I heard the Frey's are going for epic tonight." Theon slurred, spilling his drink as he swaggered around, pretending to be hurt from her snub of his home away from home.

"That's alright Theon. My future Queen has already her quarters. Fit for the Queen she is." A slimy voice said from behind the group.

_Great; Joffrey's here._ Bran nudged Arya and they shared an eye roll while Jon made a gagging motion with his hands. None of them liked their sisters boyfriend. He was so fake and sneaky. Arya always wanted to punch his face in when ever he was around. They all followed him and Sansa as he showed her to his site.

Only Joffrey Baratheon could have brought a deluxe R.V to a rave in the middle of nowhere. When they made it to his RV and received the delighted hugs and kisses from Sansa did he finally "notice" the rest of them.

"Starks, Snow, Waters; so glad you could make it! That was a lovely little vintage tent you have there but I'm sure Sansa would be better accommodated in my palace in wheels." Joffrey smiled. There was something wrong with the smile, but it wasn't that it looked wrong. He was good-looking, it was just a feeling Arya got.

Robb was the only one that said anything because nobody else really gave a rat's ass to what Joffrey would say. He also the only one who had the real authority to make the rules for the family.

"Sorry Joffrey! I'm afraid the same rules apply as if we were back at the manor. Sansa has to sleep with us. Our parents orders. We stick together." Robb said brightly. Everyone there could tell it was all fake.

"Rob don't embarrass me." Sansa said with her teeth clenched. She really looked like their mom when she was pissed.

"It's okay my dear. Robb I'm sorry if you misunderstood me. When I say that Sansa would be staying with me I never meant under the same roof. I would never put your sister in an improper situation. That is why a rented another R.V for her and her friends." He waved at the RV next to his.

Sure enough there was another huge R.V parked right next to his with the Baratheon Corporations flag flying high. It seemed that everybody's parents where chipping in for the party and as if on queue Ros stuck her head out the window. She spotted Sansa and gave a deafening girly squeal.

"Sansa, you're here! Come on! We're already getting dressed for the party. You have to hurry. We have three hours until full dark and this thing starts!" Ros hollered at her, ignoring the rest of the group.

"Wait Sans is here? That must mean... GENDRY!" And out came running Jeyne Poole, hurling herself directly into Gendry's arms, planting a huge kiss on his mouth that made everyone uncomfortable.

"Gen you came! I was so worried! Why didn't you pick up the phone? I've been calling you since last night." Jeyne said when she pulled her leach like lips off his. Gendry looked confused and everyone looked away from him.

_So apparently nothing's changed, yesterday's apology never happened,last night was a dream and that morning? Hell it so did not happen._ Arya felt sick and more angry then ever. He had lied._ 'Gendry is with Jeyne and I will die alone'_ thought Arya as she watched the display.

Gendry desperately tried to get some space between their bodies. He had a look of confusion and anger all over his face. He shot Arya a look, but she was so not looking at him in that moment. If she did there was going to be two bodies on the ground. His and Jeynes.

"Mmm I went to bed early, and I was driving," said Gendry, shaking Jeyne off in not a very lovable way when she didn't get the hint. She stumbled and he started to turn away, but she took his hand and with a shocking force dragged him away.

"It's ok. For a minute there I thought you were with someone else. Like that would happen! Now come say hi to the girls with me." Arya suspected the living girls in the RV were not the ones she meant and with that Gendry was gone.

"So, dirt, woods and mud. You must feel right at home here Horseface. And look, no one is here with you. How classic." Joffrey softly whispered into Arya's ear before leaving hand in hand with Sansa following Jeyne and Gendry.

The others had gone back to their camp as soon the ungodly sound had erupted and Jeyne had rocketed in the RV. Arya stumbled back to camp confused. She and Gendry were supposed to be back to normal now, well apart from his insecurity about Edric, but they could work past that. This, they could not.

She walked over to the bar Theon had set up and looked at the different bottles. She knew nothing about drinking. Theon walked over and looked around as well.

"So Arya, you going to party with the big boys tonight?"He asked as he mixed a drink.

There was a shout from the RV's and Gendry stumbled down the steps with three girls hanging off him. He looked right into her eyes, started forward, but was held back by his girlfriend. He shook his head and smiled at her. Arya felt her stomach knot.

Never having been a fan of booze Arya decided tonight was the night to give it a try.

"Sure. I'll party with you. And I mean really party." She grabbed an empty cup and held it out to Theon. "Full her up mix Master. Make it good."

Theon smiled and sifted around for the right drink. He took different bottles and added them to her cup. Once he was satisfied he gave it back to her.

"Drink up, buttercup!" Theon boomed, taking a large swig from his cup.

Arya lifted her cup, smelled it and held it out in a toast.

"Bottoms up." She lifted the cup to her lips and let the content enter her mouth. It was cold, yet it burned her tongue. It was sweet, but spicy. It gave her chills as she swallowed, yet set her body on fire. She sputtered and coughed.

"Like it?" Theon asked as he sipped from his concoction.

She took a smaller sip this time and decided it wasn't so bad.

"Actually I think I do." She answered. The party was looking up.


	10. Blue Moon

_Alcohol: what is the big deal about it? Makes guys act like idiots and makes girls slutty... How much do they drink to get slutty anyway? I'm just about to finish this bottle of whiskey and I'm not falling on the floor or whoring myself out! I feel just goooooooooooood. Am I drunk? Whatever... Maybe this way I'll get through this thing. Am I talking out loud or just in my head?_

...

The party was in full swing and it was dark. The place was packed and all of Westeros was in attendance, everyone was already saying it was the party of the year but Arya wasn't too sure about that. After having a couple of Theon's concoctions and setting around their camp she was feeling good. Care free even.

"So kid, I hear you and Waters are still on the outs." Theon said as they drank their fruit drinks. Theon had told her that the best way to deal with a party like this was to start out with a 'light' drink then move on to the big boy stuff. So they sat in the camp chairs around the fire with Mango Madness in their hands; Theon's own mix.

"We aren't on the outs, we are _out_. If he thinks he can just use me as a doormat to you guys, make me love him and just abandon me for a fake boobed bimbo, then comes begging like a dog to be friends again when _I_ make a new friend, he can think of never talking to me again!" Arya had said.

"Sooooooo, you love him do you?" Theon sipped his drink, looking at her over the rim of the cup.

_Wait, shit, what? Did I say I love him? Do I? As a friend I guess I do. But what about as my not friend? More than a friend? Do I want that? Please say I'm not talking out loud._

"I love him like I love you. As that extra person who is always there. But not like that. He at least is good looking, unlike present company." Arya knew that the best way to distract Theon is to inflame his vanity.

"He is sexy. I'm surprised you noticed." Theon said with a bland tone. Her plan wasn't working. "So is it just his body you like, or is it his mind, or his wit? What is it about him that you love?" He went to the makeshift bar and made another drink.

"I don't love him!' She shouted. She was glad the music was so loud, no one heard her outburst.

"But you said you did. I get it Arya. You two were super close. And he looks good. It's alright to be confused. But darling you know he isn't ready for you, right?" Theon was standing in front of her now with another drink for her in his hand.

"He isn't ready? What is that supposed to mean?" She took the drink. It wasn't fruity. It must be time for the big boy drinks. "What's this?"

"Jack and Coke on ice. Once you get used to this we will move onto shots. And if you are going to be my new drinking protégé you will be chugging from the bottle by the end of the night. Now drink up as Uncle Theon tells you a story about teenage men." Arya sipped the drink, it was pretty good, but it was a hell of a lot stronger then the other drinks.

"Alright. Wow me with your insight to my nonexistent love life."

"When the world began," Theon started, Arya groaned, it would be a long story. Thank god the drink was strong. "There was once man and a woman that lived in a cave, wrestling and hunting and goofing around together. Then one day some other cave men, who are from the same clan as the girl, came to our stupid caveman and dragged him away. Cave man said to his woman, 'Keep the home fires on, I'm going to compare my club with these other dudes. Cave woman thought it would be okay, have some time to do other things, but then cave man was never around. Cave woman gets pissed so she just leaves. She is done waiting for some stupid man to make her feel happy. But now she is sad. So she meets a nice, civilized caveman, but he is so dull. Now cave man finally makes it back and notices she is not there, and he wants to go after her, but his new buddies are always around and they tell him to forget the woman, there are more out there. So he moves on. But then he sees her at the watering hole. She is with the new cave man, who has better furs to give her. He is jealous. He has no right to be. New cave woman is okay, but not the same. Its just animalistic with her, not fun like the first cave woman, the one he has feelings for but doesn't know how to express them properly because he is a cave man. So what does he do? Shows off. Makes the woman miss him. But when she admits she likes him, loves him even, the voices of his stupid friends pop into his head. "Ugg dude, that's my clan member, she no get see you club. Show stupid girl club. Stay away from clan girl, ugg ugg." So he wants to be close, but can't. He has feelings but doesn't know how to express himself. And it is because of this first idiot all men are unable to express themselves to woman." Theon smiled at her, smugly.

She sat back and thought about the story. It was a analogy Theon style for her relationship with Gendry. It was exactly how it went down. But he didn't want her back because he suddenly had feelings for her? He was acting possessive because he was a boy and he didn't like anyone messing with something that was his once? That's why he wanted to hang out again. And she sure as hell didn't have feelings for him! He was to stupid. But he really wasn't, he was actually smart. And good looking and nice. He was very likable really. She liked him. She knew that, drunk her knew that and she guessed Theon did as well.

"So what did the cave woman do?" She asked, finishing the cup.

"She went over to the dumb cave man and said, "I'm going to do something for me now. Call me when you grow up," and went off and had adventures and forced him to chase after her, the way he was meant to." Theon got the bottle of Jack Daniels and two shot glasses from the bar and handed her one, filled them and raises them in a toast. She realized her cup was empty. Shots it was.

Arya did the same, afraid to spill the drink. _Okay, I guess its shots now. I'm a big boy._

"To the idiot cave men still out there and the incredible women who love them despite their dimness." They tipped their glasses together and Arya watched as Theon threw the drink down his mouth.

_If he can do it so can I._

"Now my dear padawan, I must leave you. Time to be a animalistic caveman." Theon walked away, leaving the bottle with her.

She walked into the tent and decided to change. She dug in her bag. She pulled out a pair of leggings and a hodded red sweater dress. But she did put on sexy underwear.

Theon had thought of everything in setting up the tent. There was a mirror and an outlet. She decided to tone down the Smokey eyes and make her hair straight. She was going for herself, not some girl who wanted a stupid boy to notice her. She was taking swigs out of the bottle as she did herself up. She even managed to not burn herself. A true feat for her current state.

She made her way out of the tent and she noticed everyone had disappeared and left Arya alone. She didn't know anyone but her family and they left her, again; hence the bottle in her hands.

Sansa was off with her airhead worshipers, Robb and Theon had dragged Jon to God knows where and Bran got a text from Jojen saying that he and his sister had arrived. She wasn't a drinker, aside from the occasional cup of wine at a fancy dinner or a toast on Christmas. When she went into the tent to change she noticed Gendry's things weren't inside. She assumed that this meant that he was staying with his girlfriend. She decided not to care.

Since no one was with her and she had nothing better to do she grabbed a bottle of whiskey off of the table (alcohol was clearly not going to be missing in this party) and started to walk around the place.

Westeros was a place where everybody was proud to show who they were, more specifically what family they belonged to and tonight Castamere was a display of family sigils. She was a history nerd so Arya didn't need to get close to a tent to see who it belonged to. Lions, Roses, Suns, Fishes were all flying high in the form of flags… wait; fish? FUCK, UNCLE EDMURE!

She wasn't part of the party scene but she would expect her brothers to find out if their mother's younger brother was in attendance. He was in his last year in college so it wasn't entirely impossible, but it also meant that their cover could be blown with a simple phone call.

She needed to find somebody, but how could she? You couldn't even hear yourself talk let alone your cell phone because of the music, for a farm that had acres to spare the place was packed and it was dark, if you weren't near a campfire all you could see were those stupid glow in the dark color sticks that to be honest; were not helping her after chugging those drinks Theon made, plus the shots, plus the shots with Brienne she took on the way, she just couldn't let go the opportunity of pissing Sansa off.

She walked a bit, stumbling into random people from school and other people she didn't know with foreign accents before she saw those black thick curls she loved so much.

"JON!" she screamed, but before she could get closer to the tent he was in, she was blocked by someone big.

"Sorry Sweetie, you can't go inside."

"I can go in. It's a tent in a rave. They are all open. Now let me by." She tried to get past the big body. "Seriously, some people." She muttered under her breath as he pushed her back again.

"Yes, but it's a PRIVATE tent at a rave so, YOU can't come in." He stood there with his arms crossed glaring at her.

"Give me a break, my brother's inside, I need to talk to him. It's a tent not a castle! I'm being decent talking to you, I could easily sneak inside through the back, now let me in!" She was getting mad. She had to talk to Jon but this moron would not move. She almost stamped her foot.

"Sorry kid, you're not what we're looking for and if you want your brother to get in you need to stop pestering me." The big bouncer man said looking down at her, his tough guy mask slipping because she was just a kid to him.

"What you are looking for? What the hell are you talking about? Wait…get into where?" _I don't think we are talking about tents anymore. Is Jon doing drugs with Goths now? This guy seems to be into black._

"Into Castle Black! Where else?" The big guy looked dumb struck by her question.

Arya's eyes quickly went up to the flag that was above the tent, a very huge but simple black flag for everyone to see. The tent was also big in size and black as night. _This could not be happening. He could not be thinking of taking the black_. She opened her mouth, sucked in a lung full of air and yelled at the top of her voice.

"JON STARK YOU GET YOU'RE WHITE ASS OUTSIDE HERE RIGHT THIS MOMENT!"

As she called out, Jon looked up from his conversation and looked to the door of the tent. The only ones that called Jon 'Stark' were his father and sister and never did they do it in a good mood. Jon stood paled. Arya was standing there at the mouth of the tent.

"What's all that noise out there?" Demanded another man dressed all in black who looked a quite older than the others.

"Sorry Sir, this girl wants to talk with her brother, one of the possible recruits, which one did you say was your brother?" The bouncer guy asked Arya and Jon shrank, trying to look small.

She opened her mouth but the older guy took one look at her and broke out laughing.

"Stark, this one's a Stark! I would know that look anywhere. By the look's of ya' you must be Arya, Benjen was not exaggerating when he talked about you." He smiled at her and looked around at his comrades, they were all smiling and laughing under their breath, muttering Benjen's name.

"How cozy, everyone knows my name! Where the hell is my brother?" She demanded, pushing her way into the tent.

"Arya! I'm sorry Sir, my sister seems to have no manners at all," said Jon, finally coming out of the tent.

"Nahh, it's ok, you're a Stark so this is just a formality and everyone knows you're in. Just make sure you fill your application and get ready to freeze your ass off." Said the man walking inside the tent again.

"Pyp, pleasure to meet you" Jon greeted the tall guy.

"My pleasure man, see you soon, don't bring your little sister though. She is one tough little thing. If she had a cock we'd take her. Bus as it is?" he said smiling as Jon dragged Arya by her arm away from the tent.

They walked away for some steps then Jon stopped and looked her in the eyes and opened his mouth.

"Arya do you need to bury your nose everywhere? It's my future we are talking about!" Jon shouted at her, holding her by the shoulders. She knew he wanted to shake her, he was so mad.

"Your future? How the hell am I supposed to know about your future when I just found out that you're planning to enroll into a military school? For fucks sake Jon, not just any military school, but the oldest, no girls allowed and ohh yeah; a fucking zillions miles away from home fucking Nights Watch!" She shot back, pissed. Her buzz was making her angry.

"I'm sorry Arya. It's not something I saw as a real option until today! That's why I came here, this rave? Is this really a place I want to be? No! It's really just another kind of college fair, but obviously more laid back, there's not any rules so some schools can bribe student's into applying. Robb kind of set up the meeting so I had to come, I couldn't say no if they were expecting me to come. And its not like I have many options. I'm a bastard. I have to leave to find my place in the world." Jon shouted to her over the music.

_He's leaving, Jon is leaving… no I can't think about that right now. Fuck how could he? He's my only friend! He's leaving, just like Gendry did. I'm just not worth staying for… I'm not good enough, never was._

She turned her back on him and took a drink from the bottle in her hand. She was in shock. This was just true icing on the cake. What was she going to do now? With Jon gone who was she going to turn to when things got bad?

"Arya? Arya I'm sorry, I was going to tell you as soon as the meeting was over, please don't look at me like that." He walked close to her.

"Shut up Jon, just shut up!" She shouted at him.

_I can't even look at him; I need to get away._

" Uncle Edmure's is here, we need to find everyone before he sees us and call's Mom." She said when he was close to her. He was demanding her to look at him. She would not give him that satisfaction.

"Arya I…" She cut him off. She did not want to hear from him any more.

"You go that way and I'll go this way, if you find someone text me and we'll meet back at our tent, ok?" She did not want to wait for his reply.

"Ok, Arya but wait we need to talk first A…" and she was off.

She hated crying and lately it seemed to be all she was doing because the men she loved the most, the men that said they would always be there for her broke their promise and left her alone.

Arya ran to the farthest side of the woods and dried her eyes. She was done with crying. More than done. She pulled her hood up. If no one saw tears it wasn't happening.

_Get it together Arya, don't let them see you cry, you don't need anyone as they obviously don't need you._

She stumbled to a wooded area, drinking as she went. She fell down once but picked herself up. That's all she knew how to do.

_When the world gives you shit you pick your self up and go on, right?_

"What wrong Red, running from the big bad wolf?" A mysterious voice asked her from a tree. A new voice came over a little bit into the woods but Arya's eyes were so teared up she couldn't see strait, or was it the alcohol?

_Okay, I'm alone and slightly drunk, way drunk lets be honest, what can I remember my self-defense class?_

"Who's there? Show yourself!" She shouted then felt like an idiot.

So apparently did the mystery voice.

"Okay, if I was some kind of rapist I would A) not had let myself be known and said Hi and B) Show yourself? Seriously! Does that even work?"

A guy came walking from behind some bushes puling his pants up. She remembered the bottle and held it up like a weapon, but before Arya could say anything he spoke and held up his hands.

"Just taking a piss, don't freak out. See all zipped!" He was tall, skinny and he had blue hair. Really blue hair. She could see it on the dim light.

"I'd shake your hand but I didn't wash my hands sooo…" He slipped his hands in his pockets and rocked on his feet.

_This guy is very pretty for a boy… Wait what? Not what I should be thinking. Focus Arya._

"Ok, not speaking. Guess you only talk to Jack."

She was confused and angry and this set her off. What the hell is that about?

"Jack! Who's Jack?" Quipped Arya.

_He IS pretty and weird, what the hell is he talking about, must stop drinking._

"Jack Daniels? I'm thinking that bottle you're threatening me with didn't drink itself." He nodded at her left hand.

"Ohhh, yeah it's mine." She felt her cheeks burning.

_That heat you're feeling must sure as hell not be your cheeks blushing Arya Stark._

An awkward silence made its appearance.

"Can I have some? Or do you plan to point the bottle at me all night." He acted like he didn't care, but she was good at reading people now a days. Not that she paid attention to the signs. He wanted to share a drink. Right.

"Sure, here," she said and as he walked further towards her. Arya saw that the guy had purple eyes. Something must be playing with her mind.

_Okay, I'm done with the booze. People don't have eyes like that._

He grabbed the bottle and very casually lay down beside a tree. Again the awkward silence.

"I'm not afraid of wolves. I'm a wolf." She sat down next to him, but not to close. He was a stranger after all.

"Well we're in the woods in the middle of nowhere, you were crying and you have a red riding hood on, you're not giving me a whole lot to work with on here Red." He said as he took a pull from the bottle.

It's true; she was wearing her red sweater dress that had a hoodie, so that would explain him calling her Red.

"What's your name? I don't think I've seen you around." She asked, trying to change the subject.

"That's because you haven't! I'm just passing through and heard there was gonna be free booze and pretty girls and it seems I've found my share." He smiled and handed her the bottle.

_Ugh, lame ladies' man. Is that all he had?_

"Well since I'm Red, you'll be Blue," she said, feeling a little bit dizzy as she took the offered bottle and didn't drink.

"Why were you crying?" He asked, he held out his hand for the bottle and took another drink. He offered it back.

"Keep it, I'm not drinking anymore tonight. And I wasn't crying, I just felt a bit sick so I needed to get away from the noise." That was partially the truth. Telling a total stranger that her heart was broken by someone she loved for the 1000th time today was not proper.

"Ahhh a wise madam who knows when to cut her booze. I'd toast to that but that doesn't seem quite appropriate given the circumstances." He smiled at her. It was small, a little sad and lopsided.

_Pretty, weird and funny, that's strange to find in a guy._

"So what brings you this part of Westeros; Blue?" He flinched a little but he keep talking and looked her strait into her eyes.

"What makes you think I'm not just a local boy?" He didn't want to tell her much.

"I know you're not a local boy because: A) Everything you see is Frey property; there aren't local boys or local families for that matter. Only Frey's. B) You have a tan (natural, not faked) and you have a faint accent I can still hear in some words. Ohhh and C) You have blue hair, it's kinda impossible to miss a guy with blue long hair walking around." She sat back and smiled smugly at him. She loved a challenge and this guy was one for sure.

"Well you do have some pretty valid points but what can I say? I'm a sucker for roll playing and I like this little guessing game we have going on, it's kind of hot. I'll give you more. If you guess one thing." He was smiling full on now. His teeth were white enough she could see them in the dark.

She was asking what the one thing was when her song for Jon's number rang out.

_A kind of hot conversation with a weird hot guy, shit of course I didn't put my phone on vibrate:_

**Haven't found anyone. Where are you? JS***

**I'm still searching, do the same AS***

Shit Uncle Edmure, how long have I been out here?

"Boyfriend missing some red in his life?" Blue asked, his eyebrow where raised.

_Put it in your pants Arya. Cute guy is not the issue right now. Find the others. Get your head in the game!_

"No it's just my brother; I forgot I need to find someone." She looked at the time and swore. She stood up and brushed her dress off.

"It's ok, I'll walk you back. My friend is probably wondering why it took me an hour to take a piss." He stood as well.

_If he walks me to my tent he'll know who I am, think Arya, think!_

"Hey, can you do me a favor?" She looked over her shoulder at the thickest part of the rave, where the others will be. He was not going to follow her. She had to think fast.

"Yes, I'll marry you and be the father of your 15 babies." He said in a very serious tone.

"Ha-ha! Actually; how's your climbing?" She looked at the tree behind him.

"Uhmm, good I think." He was confused, she could tell.

"Good cuz I need you to climb that tree for me."

"You know I usually deploy my climbing skills on my third date but it's ok, anything for my favorite Riding Hood." He smiled and started stretching. He was showing off, and she liked the show. He looked like a lean, mean fighting machine. He jumped up to the closest branch and quickly scaled the tree.

"What am I looking for? Your Granny?"

"Shut up Smurf, now tells me if you can see a green flag with a black lizard on it?" She shouted up to him.

"Smurf? That's all you can come up with? I'm hurt and yet a little turned on Red, I like a feisty girl." He was arrogant.

"Do you see the flag or not?" She demanded.

"Yup, strait up behind the two giant R.V's. You know if we are to marry you have to treat me a little bit better than this. I have sap all over." She heard him climbing down.

"I will Blue, I promise! I'll start right away by giving you some space." She was walking away from the tree now. But she could still hear him.

"What? Wait, aren't you going to wait till I climb down? No phone number? Nothing?" He sounded offended, but that wasn't her problem.

"You said space so there you have it."

_Okay, I'm ditching him but I think I did well in the flirting department._

"How can I look for you if I don't know your name?" Shouted the strange boy hanging from the tree.

"It's easy! Little Red Riding Hood was always around wolves"...


	11. The Rave of Castamere Part I

Blue haired guy left Arya in a good mood, his flirting and her whiskey buzz made her mood lift up a bit, she wondered if she should have given him her real name, so they could meet up again. But that probably not the best idea. Too many men in her life as it was. Anyway she was again in the middle of the rave headed straight to the Reed's tent to look for Bran. But first she had to get past Lannister Territory.

Joffrey was a weird little shit. He was Robert Baratheon's only son yet they couldn't be more different. Baratheon's where the epitome of male alpha dogs, they were loud, big, strong and powerful looking men. The only thing going for Joffery was his money, the only power in his corner, that's how he kept everyone around him like flies. He wore the Baratheon name but he was pure Lannister; his mother's family; freakishly blonde, he wasn't that tall, skinny and had the personality of an antisocial rat. Arya had given up thinking what the hell Sansa saw in him so good riddance; she just needed to get by the two R.V's without being bothered. She would not let that little Dick prick fuck with her.

Next to the R.V was a giant ditch so in order to pass she had to sneak in between the two large vehicles.

_Great just what I needed. Climbing over a ditch in the dark. Crap. Don't trip Stark!_

Of course it was Joffrey's R.V she landed on, from the outside the lights where off but as Arya started to push away from it she heard voices.

_Seriously. I don't want to hear my sister's nasty pillow talk._

"Thinking is not your strong suit. You know you aren't supposed to open your mouth unless I say otherwise."

_Joffrey's voice, definitely. But what the fuck is he talking about. He better not be talking to my sister like that!_

"When did you get the idea that you could actually speak on my behalf, let alone in public. I don't know when this happened, but that was the last time that happens." Joffrey demanded.

_God, what a tool. I should go in there and teach him a thing or two._

"I'm waiting for my apology Sansa. And you better do it right. Like I taught you."

_I'm sorry? WHAT?!_

Arya jumped so she could peak through the window to see that in fact it was her sister who was being scolded like a child.

"I… I…" her eyes were red clearly from crying and she looked frightened.

_What did that asshole do to her?_

No matter how much they fought nobody had the right to treat her sister like that (only her).

"I'm sorry Joffery. It's just that she was all over you and totally being rude toward me I only…" Sansa said in a small voice. She was on her knees on the floor. Joffrey sat on a throne like bed, surrounded by pillows. He had his foot next to her face. Arya hoped her sister wasn't going to do what she thought.

_If she kisses his boots I'm going to go in there and tear that filth up._

"Just because I am with you doesn't mean you have a say in what I do. I can talk to whom I want and when I want, however I want! But unfortunately the same doesn't not go for you Sansa. You will stay here for the rest of the night so you can learn some manners. Have I made myself clear?" Joffrey gave his shoe a shake and Sansa just looked at him, tears running down her face. "I'm waiting Sansa!"

Sansa was startled into movement. She took his shoe and placed a brief touch of her lips to the tip of his boot.

"Yes Joff, you are right, I'm sorry I made a scene. If a girl wants to talk with you I have no right to interfere with you." Sansa said as she placed a kiss on his boot.

"Good girl." Joffrey said as he patted her head and kissed her. "But you still have to stay in here for the rest of the rave. I don't want any other mistakes from you tonight."

_What the fuck, when did Sansa become a Stepford wife? Why the hell was she kissing his shoe and allowing that shit to treat her like that? I am so going to kill the fucker!_

Arya had to step down and go into the shadows as Joffrey got out of the RV slamming the door and leaving Sansa behind. She thought on knocking the door and checking up on her sister but when she took a look through the window she saw Sansa standing up and cleaning the place.

_Ok, I've never had a boyfriend but I'm pretty sure that isn't how it works, she seems ok, maybe it's just how they are. But it's so not normal. Maybe I should tell Robb and have him talk to her about it. I have to find Robb now more then ever!_

She crept around the camp but next came the second RV. This one was going to be a bigger problem if she didn't want to get noticed, the windows where huge and they were open so Arya had to crawl on fours to get by. The music was loud and apparently clothes were optional because all the girls were wearing dresses that barely covered their asses. They were all clearly wasted and were dancing to their own private dj.

Arya was about to leave when she saw Gendry sitting alone in a small table looking miserable. She felt a smug piece of satisfaction to see him having a bad time.

_You know for a guy that ditches other people he doesn't look happy to be here. But that's what he gets!_

He was holding a beer in his hand, not his first if the pile of cans at his feet was any indication, and he had that look on his face when he was concentrating about something. His eyebrows would scrunch up and his forehead would get all wrinkly deep in thought about something.

"Geeeeeeeeeen come on! Dance with me!" said Jeyne dancing in front of him. He didn't look at her and she was all but flashing herself at him.

"Not in the mood Jeyne. Dance with the other girls if you want. I'm gonna get some fresh air." As he was getting up Jeyne pushed him back to the chair and sat on his lap.

"Such a grumpy old man, I know what can cheer you up," purred Jeyne and before Gendry could say anything she was kissing him. Not a boyfriend – girlfriend kiss but a full on porn star movie kiss that made everyone cheer and tell them to get a room.

_This is what he wants, this is what Gendry likes, not a little girl who's into sports that is a virgin. I'm not even on his radar._

To add to the fuel Gendry groaned like an animal and lifted Jeyne in his arms, went into a room and closed the door. Arya never felt so stupid in her life, remembering how earlier she threw herself at Gendry and he didn't even care. Of course the guy was asleep but still, they slept together but he never made a pass at her, let alone kiss her. She remembered one time when they were talking about kissing and he quickly changed to subject saying he didn't want to know what Arya did.

_Doesn't want to know… doesn't care… what's the difference? He is nothing but a stupid caveman. Theon was right. He's probably in there saying ugh!_

She quickly stumbled away. All thoughts of Sansa, her uncle, getting away before they got caught hold of her mind. Feelings of self-loathing and loneliness came barreling down in seconds, she didn't want to cry but she was stuck here till morning with nowhere to go. Alcohol was the quickest solution. She saw Bran beside a campfire with Meera and Jojen Reed.

"Meera, Jojen…nice to see you again." She said as she found a piece of ground and sat, finishing the bottle if whiskey in her hand. She threw it behind her and saw another random drink sitting there and took it.

"Arya wait, don't!" yelled Bran but it was too late. She grabbed an odd looking green bottle that was in front a Jojen and drank nearly all its content in one gulp.

"Well this is going to be interesting," said Jojen sitting back and looking at something really interesting in the sky.

"Arya you need to sit down and drink some water now." Said Bran, looking at his sister like she was a new born baby.

"I'm good Bran just thirsty, we actually need to go, we _have_ to." Arya said, remembering her reason for finding Bran and the others.

"Arya!" Shouted Bran taking her sister by her hands and looking straight into her eyes. "You just drank half a bottle of absinthe! You are not going anywhere until your happy time wears off."

Arya was starting to get dizzy. Everything was in hyper focus. The lights were extremely bright, but not hurtfully bright, but amazingly bright.

"I'm sorry, of ab-what?"

"Absinthe! Drink of the Gods," replied Jojen clearly out of it.

"It's ok, I've got this. Hey Stark, why don't you sit with me. Tell Auntie Meera your woes." Meera said in her always laid back attitude.

"Meeeeeera Hi! Is my little brother treating you right? Remember; he is nothing but a caveman at heart." Arya said, flinging herself down beside her.

"Of course he is but first I need to know what you've been drinking tonight. Leave nothing out. This is important." Meets smiled at her friend.

_She is really pretty, especially with those sparkles all over. I wonder what she uses to get that look. I need to try that. She is beautiful._

"A couple cups of Mango Madness, don't know what's in that. Oh and loooots of whiskey, lots and lots. See Bran, I can hold my booze now come on. We have to go find the others. Hey text Jon." She stood up again and wobbled little on her feet.

"Wait a minute Arya. You just drank a very good amount of absinthe which is no biggy, you're right, you can hold your booze down but the problem with absinthe is that it makes you hallucinate." Meera said sweetly.

"WHAT?!" Arya was getting scared now. Were the amazing lights everywhere not real? How did that happen?

"Don't be so dramatic Meera, it just makes you relax more, get in touch with your inner self, your third eye, Mother Nature, God's gifts to men." Jojen popped up.

"Don't mind Jojen Arya, he's been drinking the damn thing for hours. You'll be ok, just here, drink some water and stay with us." Meera said, handing her water that was emitting shooting sparks.

"I'm fine. Bran we really need to go, Uncle Edmure is here, we need to find the others and form a plan, have you seen the others?" She drank her water and handed it to him.

"I saw Theon randomly dancing by himself and Robb was with some girl, uhmm doing stuff. I haven't seen Jon or Gendry."

_Don't go there, throw those two motherfuckers away from your mind. They are not worthy of my time right now. They deserve to be caught here. Jon with his stupid new club and Gendry with his pants around his knees._

"Ok, I'll stay here a couple of minutes with you guys. But we have to get out of here. Sansa is in Joffrey's RV. We have to save her. Don't let her kiss his shoe again." Arya babbled as she sat looking up at the sky.

**1 hour later…**

_Bahhh Absinthe wasn't bad! I could drink this all the time. I don't feel any different. Whoa. When did we go to the zoo?_

Arya loved all animals! Wolves, lions, stags and Unicorns… Ok, maybe she was tripping a little bit. She lost track of time, forgot about her Uncle Edmure, Jon leaving and Gendry's pelvic movements. Arya was just fine and dandy looking into the sky.

Jojen had it right, when in doubt? Drink absinthe. She wasn't about to turn into an addict but just for one night, only one; she wanted to forget it all and be happy just being Arya.

Jojen was out of his mind on some inner adventure inside the tent, talking about rivers, giants and what not. Bran and Meera? That was a whole different ball game.

When not seeing imaginary hobbits dancing with pink flip – flops Arya would look at her little brother; he looked so happy talking to Meera. If you didn't know him you couldn't tell he was nervous but he was hanging on her every word, cherishing every touch and smiling like a mad man. She couldn't help but wonder if there was a person who would feel like that with her, someone who would make her laugh and feel loved, Gendry sure as hell wasn't. Maybe that guy was here tonight, maybe it was blue haired guy. That one over there looks a lot like Edric. She sat up and really looked hard at the Edric clone.

_Edric's hot right? And he treats me nice, yeah; I'll give the kid a chance. That dude reeeeally looks like Edric! Same strawberry hair, eye color and same goofy smile when he's looking at me._

"Hey Arya!" He shouted as he walked over.

"Shhhhh, don't move but you reeeeally look like someone I know. Just let me touch your face to make sure." She reached out and touched his face, smooching his cheeks and looking deep into his eyes.

"Uhmm Ar?" He looked over to Bran, but he was still in Meera land.

"Dude you even have a nose! He has a nose as well. Hey, you have sparkle lights inside you." She gave his face another pat and bopped his nose for good measure.

"Hey Edric, it's okay. Arya just had a bit too much of the green fairy." Said Bran approaching them.

"I have not talked to any green fairies tonight, I swear! I did talk to a guy on a tree with blue hair though. He was nice. But no fairies." Arya said defending herself.

"Arya Stark; rave rebel! I didn't know this side of you, definitely not at school or work." Edric smiled at her. She leaned back and looked at the sky. When she looked back she finally figured out Edric was real, not pretend.

"EDRIC! You're here!" Suddenly Arya got up and ran into Edric's arms. "You know, there was a guy saying he was you! Weirdest thing ever, he even had a nose. Do you know my brother Bran? That's his girlfriend Meera. Aren't they cute together? He isn't like the other ugging cavemen around here. He is a good guy and won't be a jerk to Meera." Arya babbled.

You couldn't tell who was redder: Bran, Meera or Edric still processing Arya wrapped around his arms.

"Sorry Edric, absinthe messes your mind a little. How did you get here? I didn't know you were coming." Bran said, trying to smooth things over.

"Ohh Hot Pie told me, I figured you guys where already here so I rode up alone. Thanks for the invite Stark." Edric smiled at her.

"Cool, if you need a place to stay you can crash with us. Don't freak out if my brother talks in his sleep. Its just the drink." Offered a very blushing Meera.

_Girlfriend? She is so going to kick my ass for that. Bran will probably be there cheering her on. Crap. The one time my brother opens up and and tells me a secret I spilled it. I'm a bad sister. I hope I'm still talking to myself I my mind, not out loud._

"Thanks Meera but I'm ok. I'll sleep in my truck. Its only for a night. Its a big one, lots of leg room." He said in that easy going way of his.

"Nonsense. Ed is sleeping with me, we have lots of space, and everybody seems to be leaving. By the way, where are you going to sleep Bran?"

He shot her a look that would kill.

_Yep, totally dying now._

"Why don't you show me your tent Arya?" Always the gentleman Edric wanted to get Arya away and spare her brother and his friend, who was a girl, further humiliation.

They began walking but stopped when Arya suddenly realized she didn't remember where the tent was. So Edric took her to his truck that was nearby.

"I didn't know you could drive." Arya felt like an idiot saying that, but she wanted to talk.

"Yeah, my aunt is kinda obsessed with me driving because of my dad's accident. That why I have a chauffeur, but every now and then I get to drive my cars. I actually enjoy it quite a lot. The feel of the opened road, the freedom. It is all so liberating." He glowed as he spoke of driving.

"Cars? You have more than one? I think this truck is bigger than our tent! Ooooh I wanna go in the back!" Said a very giddy Arya.

"Uhmm yep, they were my dad's and I inherited them. But I mostly drive this one and the jag. Arya what are you doing?" Ed sounded alarmed when she opened the back of the cab and starting to scramble in on all fours.

"I'm rearranging the seats so we can lie down. Come on Edric, you have a sunroof! Open it so we can see the unicorns!" Arya said when she finally got the seats of the cab down into a bed. She had found blankets and was using it as a pillow to watch show in the sky.

"Unicorns? How much did you drink Arya?" Edric asked as he opened the roof and sat down next to her feet.

"Will everybody just chill? I had a few drinks, okay? I'm a big girl and I am taking care of myself! Are you going to snuggle with me and the unicorns yes or no?" She demanded, her anger growing. She didn't think she could handle another rejection tonight.

Very slowly, a very red faced Edric Dayne lay in the back of his truck with a very drunk and hallucinated Arya Stark. He wasn't going to take advantage of her but he just simply couldn't say no to her. And drunk or not; Arya knew that, so she decided to do a little experiment. He left a large gap between them, but Aeya wasn't having any of that.

_Nope, this is not working, you are going to kiss me Edric Dayne, no time for etiquette._

Edric was not even making eye contact, he was staring into the sky trying to see what Arya was seeing and trying to get her toned, fair legs out of his head.

"I've never seen you in a dress before. Its different. Nice. You look nice." He looked at her and back to the sky.

"I don't wear dresses; they're uncomfortable and make me look like a little idiot." Arya said as a unicorn in a wedding dress danced around the sky.

"You don't look like an idiot, you look beautiful, truly you do."

_Good, an opening! He is interested._

"You really think so? This is the first time I'm wearing this dress, Sansa gave it to me ages ago. I packed it by mistake this morning so I really had nothing else to wear."

It was a lie. She liked to wear it when she was alone in her room. But she had never worn it around other people.

"Arya you could wear a sack of potato, you could wear no clothes at all and still be the most beautiful creature in the world." Edric finally looked at her and she was looking straight into his eyes. They were blue, but not Gendry blue.

_For God's sake get that brute out of your head, you know what to do Stark, the time is perfect!_

"Edric, do you remember when we were in the Godswood for the first time?" Arya tried to mimic the same tone of voice she saw girls use on guys when they wanted something while slowly putting her hand on his chest. She snuggled as close to him as she could get, almost completely on top of him.

"I remember it; I find it hard to forget any moment I spend with you." He said. It was the right thing to say. It was perfect. Her heart should be melting into a puddle of lovey dovey goop right now.

"Really? So then you must remember when you asked me if I liked anyone." Edric who suddenly didn't know what to do with his hands. He put them on the bed on his sides and just looked up at her.

"Yes but I apologized for that Arya, it was absolutely rude of me to ask you about such a personal matter. I…"

"What if I liked you?" Quickly interrupted Arya, she had a task to perform and Edric's gentleman qualities where not helping.

"Wait WHAT?" Shouted Edric sitting up as fast as he could. She slid off him and watch as he smacked his head on the roof.

_Don't let him think, do this Arya and do this NOW!_

This was the plan, she was going to kiss Edric Dayne! Well more like she wanted to get over Gendry and Edric was the best and only candidate. if she had told Blue Haired Guy who she was and stayed around him long enough maybe he would have another candidate, but enough what if's.

Arya was a quick learner, her teachers always wondered on the fact that she only needed to hear or see something once for her to learn it and outperform everybody else. She had spent all her life living with the master of flirting; Sansa, so she knew what to do. Very slowly and never letting their eye contact break Arya sat up and playfully started to touch Edric's arms.

"I think that we are good friends, I feel comfortable with you Edric, don't you feel that way with me?" She asked while she moved a little so she could be closer to him.

"I.. I …" He stammered and raised his hand to touch her arms that were now up to his shoulders.

Giggles escaped her mouth, alcohol and some girlish giddiness caught a hold of her for a minute.

"I think you feel comfortable with me as well Edric." While she batted her eyes at him Arya started to run her hands in his hair. He shivered, and still held her arms.

"I think you had a bit too much to drink Arya. I don't think you want to do this." He stopped her from moving close to him.

She was getting mad. This was not how it was supposed to happen. They should be kissing right now. At this stage Sansa would be dry humping the sorry sap she had chosen. What was wrong with Edric!

"Just because I have a more liberty in speaking my mind right now doesn't mean I'm drunk! Well, I may be a little bit drunk but I'm still saying the truth. You have to know that."

_GO…FOR…THE…KILL!_

Slowly touching his face she leaned and whispered in his ear. It was a nasty trick, but she had to play it.

"I want to kiss you Edric and I know you want to kiss me as well. We are alone now, in your truck! Look up at the sky, it's so peaceful." But Edric didn't move one inch of his body.

"We don't need a reason Edric, were friends and it's not uncommon for friends to kiss each other." She moved her face so she could see him; he was listening attentive and looking straight into her eyes.

Holding his face in her hands and really not knowing what the hell she was doing Arya knew it was now or never.

"Arya I..."

"Edric please.I need this." And she went for the kiss.

As suspected Edric was gentle and sweet going for a quick peck that made a 90 year old grandmother proud but tonight that wasn't enough for Arya. She wanted fire, she wanted strength, and she wanted to feel like she felt when she was in her bed with Gendry.

Wrapping her arms around his neck she lowered them down so they were laying in the back of the of Edric's truck and sensing his refusal to being so close Arya deepened the kiss, licking his lips with her mouth making Edric moan.

_He likes it he's just too good mannered. He's a guy, push him a little, he won't say no. She was hovering over him when she put her leg on top of his._

"Arya I don't think..."

"Don't think! Kiss me!" She said hungry for more touch, kissing him and as she predicted Edric started to reciprocate. His hand landed on her thigh and stared making random patterns on it while shifting a little so he was half over her body.

She had never kissed a boy in her life. Well apart from a few sleepy kisses with Gendry. Freaking amazing kisses but that's not the point! This was a totally new guy. She should enjoy it. This is what all the fuss is about?

Yes you could say it felt nice to see she could make someone fell attracted to her since she never had used her body this way but where was the spark? The birds and the bees? She always heard that kissing someone was getting lost in another dimension were nothing else mattered, but right now? She felt nothing. She could hear the music blasting from the party, people laughing, shouting, and some probably fighting outside.

_Maybe I'm doing it wrong?_ So she kissed Edric even more forcefully, running her hands through his hair and adjusting herself so she was under him completely.

Edric on the other hand was busy kissing her back, his breathing was erratic and his hand where fixated on Arya's legs, caressing them at a leisurely pace when Arya grabbed his hands forcing him to go higher when he stopped and went still.

"Arya stop!" Edric said, his face was red and his eyes had a wild look. She feared she looked even worse.

"What's wrong?" She said frustrated that he stopped kissing her.

"You're drunk; we're in my truck, surrounded by people in the middle of nowhere. I think we should stop before we end up doing something else. Something that will ruin things."

_Something else? What the…? OHH! Someone's a little exited._

Seeing Edric's excitement clearly expressed in his pant Arya remember Septa Mordane's etiquette class: "A woman must learn to show her body for men are quickly drawn to it not able to control themselves".

_Ok by me! No sex, more kissing!_

Having the decency to blush she took one of his hands and innocently said, in a sweet tone of voice as she could manage something to change his mind about ending their making out session.

"Edric, we are just kissing, nothing else is going to happen". Edric's willpower quickly faded as he now was the one that grabbed Arya by her neck and kissed her, leaving them fast where they were just minutes ago when suddenly she heard the commotion.

"So, the boy scout isn't that squeaky clean is he?" _Ugh Ramsey? I can't concentrate like this, maybe we should turn the radio on._

"Leave us alone Ramsey, go bother someone else!" Shouted a female voice. _Every party needs a pooper that is always Ramsey Bolton. Oh, kisses on the neck feel gooood. Go Edric!_

"Shut up Roslyn! I thought you Frey's were famous for your word! Nice to know it means shit as you would sleep with anyone." Someone had the guts to hook up with Ramsey? If Edric wasn't so good in kissing her neck she would be up front seat see the show.

"Told you she was easy, shame to see she choose this one to fool around! Come on Baby, I can make you giggle in a second." _I know that voice from somewhere, that's the Tickler! Ramsey's drop out friend. He must have come here with his entire posse._

"Leave her alone asshole, go get drunk somewhere else. This is nothing that involves you. Its a party, everybody is having a good time! Go away and leave us the hell alone!" That voice I know better, Robb! Arya tried to nudge Edric off but he was quite busy with a spot on her neck.

"I'm sure you were having a good time in between her legs, Stark honor my ass! Sleeping with another guy's girlfriend." Seethed Ramsey. What the hell has Robb's libido done now?

"Edric, get off, something is happening outside!" Arya said, gently pushing Edric on his shoulders but he was far away, apparently she was more intoxicating than absinthe.

"Ramsey please. We broke up two years ago. Just leave it ok?" The girl said. Arya could hear this girls tears as she spoke.

"Shut up you bitch." Arya heard a slap. She really tried to push Edric off her now. If she could hear it from the car it must have been a bad hit.

"You're dead Bolton!" Her brother roared like a angry wolf.

And suddenly chaos erupted; Arya heard screams, broken bottles and punches. The truck was moving up and down because people were running all over the place and hitting the car as they flooded the area.

"Edric get off, I need to get out!" She was now shouting at him but with the noise outside it was impossible he was going to hear her, it was clear when he wouldn't stop kissing her.

"Edric get the fuck off!" Arya screamed at him and pushed his chest making him fall backwards and got out of the truck stumbling into mayhem.


End file.
